Minneapolis Police Chief Resigns After Obstruction Discovery

Clear Facts

• Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara resigned after investigators found he interfered with an investigation into his conduct by deleting evidence from his city-issued phone
• An anonymous complaint alleged O’Hara engaged in sexually intimate relationships with city employees, though those specific allegations were not substantiated
• O’Hara intentionally deleted a contact card during the investigation and discussed the probe with another employee despite instructions not to do so

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara resigned from his position after it was discovered that he “interfered” with an investigation into his conduct, according to Mayor Jacob Frey. The resignation comes as another blow to a department still recovering from years of national scrutiny.

Frey announced Tuesday that O’Hara — who led the department since November 2022 — came under investigation after an anonymous complaint was received last year “alleging the chief had engaged in sexually intimate relationships with city employees.”

“An outside investigation was conducted, extensive interviews were completed, and numerous staff participated,” Frey said. “Several months ago, that investigation concluded and we received a report stating that the allegations were not substantiated. Those allegations remain not substantiated.”

“However, today I received a report of findings from an additional investigation that showed Chief O’Hara interfered with the investigation process,” he added.

“Specifically, investigators found that he intentionally deleted a contact card for an individual from his city-issued cell phone during the original investigation in an attempt to shield that evidence of his connection to the person from investigators. And even though he was instructed not to discuss the investigation itself with anyone, he told another city employee that his city-issued cell phone had been taken from him for the investigation.”

The mayor explained the critical breach of protocol that led to O’Hara’s departure. “Although the investigators have concluded that this interference does not change their ultimate conclusion contained in the original report — in other words, the allegations of relationships with city employees — the interference itself is a breach of trust,” Frey said.

“Because of that, I informed the chief that I would be disciplining him up to and including discharge, and he resigned. I have accepted his resignation.”

Frey called the move an “extremely painful decision.” Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell will now take over O’Hara’s position, according to the mayor.

O’Hara’s tenure included several high-profile incidents. He was the head of the Minneapolis Police Department during the shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church and during Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration enforcement crackdown earlier this year that saw significant ICE activity in the Twin Cities area.

The mayor emphasized the importance of integrity in leadership positions.

“Everyone makes mistakes, including me. But what I can’t allow is a breach of trust. When you serve as chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, trust is not secondary to the job, it is the job.”

“And when trust is broken, it becomes extremely difficult to continue leading effectively,” he added. “The MPD has worked hard to rebuild credibility and trust with the community and within its own ranks. Our staff and residents need to know that they can trust not just the department, but also the person leading it. While the right decision was clear, it was not made lightly.”

The city still has 17 open complaints against O’Hara — separate from the investigation that resulted in disciplinary action — and will continue investigating, according to mayor’s office spokesperson Jennifer Lor. Lor could not comment on the nature of those complaints.

The resignation adds another chapter to Minneapolis’s troubled police leadership history, as the department continues efforts to restore public confidence following years of controversy and federal oversight discussions.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.