By James Heider 

Writer/Reporter 

On Tuesday, May 26th, it was announced that Brian O’Hara stepped down as Police Chief of Minneapolis. He turned in his resignation after he was found interfering with an investigation into his sexual misconduct. Last year, an anonymous complaint was sent to the mayor’s office detailing sexual relationships between O’Hara and city employees. An outside investigation found these claims to be unsubstantiated, but after a follow-up inquiry, proof was found indicating O’Hara’s guilt. The report shows O’Hara deleted a contact in his cellphone and later denied doing so. O’Hara was also found discussing the investigation with an outside contact after being told he’s not allowed to do so. He told an employee that his cell phone had been confiscated in regard to the probe. The City of Minneapolis has an additional 17 complaints against Brian O’Hara, according to the mayor’s office spokesperson Jennifer Lor, but declined to supply further details.  

During a public press conference, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated, “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. When trust is broken, it becomes extremely difficult to continue leading effectively.” Brian O’Hara was appointed as Minneapolis Police Chief in 2022 in a unanimous decision by Minneapolis City Council. Two years after the murder of George Floyd, O’Hara was brought in to lead reforms on police protocol and tasked with hiring. There was only a little over 500 officers in total when O’Hara was appointed. He oversaw the department through the Annunciation school shooting in August 2025, and Operation Metro Surge where Federal Agents committed an immigration enforcement around the Twin Cities. O’Hara and the department were criticized by the community during Operation Metro Surge for their inaction and compliance during the crackdown on immigrants and citizens.  

Frey had nominated O’Hara for another four-year appointment earlier in May, but Minneapolis City Council had not supported the notion. The council on Wednesday criticized Frey for pushing his re-appointment despite the allegations against O’Hara. City Council President Elliott Payne stated, “It was a massive error in judgment for Mayor Frey to nominate Chief O’Hara while there were active investigations into very serious accusations that had been rumored for months. This is what happens when you prioritize optics and political expediency over governance and accountability.” 

Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell will be acting chief effective immediately.