Brian O'Hara stepped down as Minneapolis police chief on May 26, 2026, after an internal investigation concluded he probably interfered with the inquiry by deleting a contact from his city-issued phone during a 2025 probe into allegations against him [1, 2, 3]. Mayor Jacob Frey issued O'Hara a written reprimand for serious misconduct the same day and said he lost confidence in O'Hara’s ability to lead the department [1, 2, 3].
The investigation did not find evidence that O'Hara had sexual relationships with city employees, but focused on the deletion of the contact, which was seen as obstructing the process [1, 2, 3]. Frey told O'Hara, "Your behaviour, as substantiated by the investigation, demonstrates poor judgment, is inconsistent with the level of integrity this role requires, and has made it extraordinarily difficult for you to continue effectively in your role," emphasizing that "trust is not secondary to the job, it is the job" [1, 2, 3].
O'Hara was appointed chief in November 2022 with a mandate to rebuild trust in a department still grappling with fallout from George Floyd's murder and prior accusations of racially biased policing and misconduct [1, 2, 3]. Mayor Frey said the breach of trust made it impossible for O'Hara to continue leading effectively [1, 2, 3].
Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell was named acting chief following the resignation, assuming leadership of the Minneapolis Police Department immediately [2, 3].
Officials will now focus on sustaining reform efforts amid ongoing public scrutiny of the police force’s conduct and rebuilding community trust. The department’s next leadership decisions will be closely watched.
