Chief O’Hara Interfered With Sexual Conduct Claims Probe: Mayor Frey

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara resigned Tuesday after an investigation found he interfered with a probe into allegations involving his conduct with city employees, Mayor Jacob Frey said.

Frey said the original anonymous complaint alleged O’Hara had sexually intimate relationships with city employees. Those allegations were not substantiated, according to Frey.

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However, a separate investigation found O’Hara interfered with the probe, including by deleting data from his city-issued phone and discussing the investigation with another city employee after being told not to.

Frey said O’Hara would have faced discipline that could have included termination. O’Hara instead resigned.

"Trust is not secondary to the job, it is the job," Frey said, according to MPR News. "When trust is broken it becomes extremely difficult to continue leading effectively."

The city is still reviewing 17 additional complaints against O’Hara.

Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell is now serving as acting police chief.

Minneapolis City Council leaders are scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon to respond to O’Hara’s resignation.

Council President Elliott Payne, Minority Leader Robin Wonsley and Council Member Jason Chavez, who chairs the council’s Public Health, Safety and Equity Committee, are scheduled to speak at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Minneapolis City Hall.

In a statement Wednesday morning, Wonsley blamed Frey for what she called a broader failure to reform and manage the Minneapolis Police Department.

"O’Hara’s resignation is a symptom of a larger problem: Mayor Frey’s failure to effectively manage the Minneapolis Police Department," Wonsley said.

Wonsley said Frey has repeatedly promised police reform while presiding over a "revolving door" of police chiefs and public safety leaders.

"MPD’s failures are Mayor Frey’s legacy," Wonsley said.

Wonsley also criticized Frey for allowing O’Hara to remain in the job while the allegations were being investigated and for renominating him for another term.

"The investigative report affirms that Mayor Frey knew there were unanswered questions and pending investigations into Brian O’Hara when he renominated him to the City Council a couple of weeks ago," Wonsley said.

O’Hara was appointed Minneapolis police chief in 2022 and was hired to help lead the department through court-ordered reforms following the murder of George Floyd.

His resignation comes at a volatile time for Minneapolis public safety leadership, with the city still under state and federal agreements requiring changes to MPD policies, training and oversight.

The City Council news conference is expected to offer the first broader public response from council leaders since O’Hara’s resignation.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.