UMVA has learned that Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stepped down after an internal probe uncovered his deliberate meddling with the very investigation into his conduct.
The mayor announced that O’Hara, who took the helm in November 2022, faced an anonymous complaint last year alleging intimate relationships with city employees. An extensive, outside investigation interviewed dozens of staff and ultimately found the allegations unsubstantiated.
Yet a fresh inquiry revealed a stark breach of trust: O’Hara had erased a contact card from his city‑issued cell phone, attempting to hide a link to the person at the center of the original probe.
Even more troubling, despite explicit orders to keep the matter confidential, he disclosed to another city employee that his phone had been seized for the investigation, further compromising the process.
Investigators concluded that this interference did not alter the original finding that the relationship allegations remained unproven, but the act of obstruction itself was deemed intolerable.
Consequently, the mayor informed O’Hara that disciplinary action up to dismissal was forthcoming, prompting the chief to resign—a decision the mayor described as “extremely painful” but necessary to preserve the department’s integrity.
Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell will now assume command of the Minneapolis Police Department, inheriting a force still reeling from recent high‑profile incidents, including a deadly church shooting and a federal immigration crackdown.
The mayor stressed that trust is the cornerstone of police leadership; once broken, it erodes the ability to lead effectively and undermines community confidence.
Separate from this episode, the city still faces 17 open complaints against O’Hara, which remain under investigation.
