Full Breakdown
Minneapolis Police Chief Resigns After Investigation Interference
5/27/2026, 6:16:37 AM
Core Event: Resignation and Immediate Aftermath
On Tuesday night, Mayor Jacob Frey announced that Police Chief Brian O’Hara had resigned effective immediately. Assistant Chief of Operations Katie Blackwell was named acting chief. Frey said he had warned O’Hara that disciplinary action, up to discharge, would follow a second investigative report showing O’Hara had deleted a contact from his city-issued phone to hide a link to a witness in a prior probe.
Background: Prior Allegations and Investigation Findings
In May 2025 an anonymous complaint alleged O’Hara had sexual relationships with city employees. An external review cleared him, but a later probe found he interfered with that investigation by removing a phone contact, a breach of trust.
Timeline of Key Developments
May 1 2025: O’Hara briefed on the complaint with Mayor Frey and Commissioner Todd Barnette. Early 2025: Review found allegations unsubstantiated. Tuesday: Second report identified phone-deletion; Frey warned O’Hara; O’Hara resigned; Blackwell became interim chief.
Key Figures
Brian O’Hara – former police chief; Jacob Frey – mayor; Katie Blackwell – acting chief; Todd Barnette – community safety commissioner.
Data & Statistics
The city logged 64 homicides in 2025, a 33 % drop from 2021, and 30 formal complaints were filed against O’Hara.
Official Statements & Responses
Mayor Frey said trust is central to the chief’s role and that the breach made leadership untenable. He noted the investigative findings were unavailable at the time of O’Hara’s renomination and that the new report ‘changed my assessment and made action necessary.’ He pledged stability under Blackwell.
Criticism & Opposition
Community groups criticized O’Hara for insufficient response to federal agents and for handling the Davis Moturi shooting, intensifying calls for accountability and transparent leadership.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The original sexual-relationship allegations were deemed unsubstantiated, yet the later report identified interference with that probe. Details of the deleted contact and witness remain undisclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “When you serve as chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, trust is not secondary to the job; it is the job, and when trust is broken, it becomes extremely difficult to continue leading effectively,” — Jacob Frey, Mayor
- “But through this transition, my focus remains on ensuring stability, continuity, and trust in the leadership of our City enterprise.” — Jacob Frey, Mayor
- “Although the investigators have concluded that the underlying allegations from the original investigation remain not substantiated, your interference with the investigation risked the integrity of the investigation and constitutes a significant breach of trust,” — Jacob Frey, Mayor
- “I would not have nominated him.” — Jacob Frey, Mayor
What’s Next
Blackwell will lead the department while the city reviews internal policies on investigative cooperation. The mayor’s office indicated that further oversight measures will be considered to restore public confidence and ensure future chiefs adhere to transparency standards.
