Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, appointed to lead the department through reforms after the 2020 murder of George Floyd, resigned on Tuesday rather than face disciplinary action for interfering with an investigation into his own conduct. Mayor Jacob Frey announced the resignation, citing findings that O’Hara had obstructed the probe.
The investigation initially focused on allegations that O’Hara was involved in intimate relationships with city employees. Those accusations were never substantiated, but investigators concluded O’Hara interfered with the inquiry. According to a written reprimand obtained by the Associated Press, O’Hara deleted a contact card from his city-issued cell phone in an effort to shield evidence and told another city employee about the investigation after he had been instructed to keep it quiet.
O’Hara’s tenure included oversight of the department during a recent federal immigration enforcement operation in the city, marking a politically sensitive period. He had been hired in 2022 to implement court-mandated reforms and restore public trust following Floyd’s death, which sparked nationwide protests against police violence and racial injustice. The department has since cycled through multiple chiefs amid ongoing struggles with accountability measures.
Frey did not immediately name a permanent successor. Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell is expected to serve as acting chief while the city searches for O’Hara’s replacement.