Minneapolis Police Chief O'Hara Resigns After Interference

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara resigned Tuesday after an investigation found he interfered with a probe into his conduct, Mayor Jacob Frey announced. O'Hara, who was hired in 2022 to lead the department through a period of major reform, chose to step down rather than face potential termination.

The investigation was initiated over allegations that O'Hara was engaging in intimate relationships with city employees, though those claims were never substantiated. Investigators did conclude, however, that O'Hara interfered with the inquiry. According to a written reprimand, he is accused of deleting a contact card from his city-issued cell phone in an attempt to shield evidence and of telling another city employee about the investigation after being instructed to keep it confidential.

Mayor Frey stated he informed O'Hara he would face discipline, which could include termination, and the chief opted to resign. "It was an extremely painful decision, obviously, but I concluded that that was necessary to maintain public trust, and this was the right way to move forward as a city," Frey said. "Trust is not secondary to the job. It is the job."

The city has 17 other open complaints...