05/27/2026
Tonight’s news regarding Chief Brian O’Hara is difficult and deeply disappointing.
Chief O’Hara served Minneapolis during one of the most challenging periods in our city’s history.
I appreciated his engagement with communities across the city - including in Ward 6 - and his commitment to public safety during a difficult moment for Minneapolis.
My support for Chief O’Hara’s reappointment was based on my own direct experiences working with him and seeing the progress our city was beginning to make around public safety and community trust.
The Mayor has stated that new information regarding the investigative process changed the situation and led to tonight’s outcome.
Out of respect for the process and everyone involved, I’m not going to speculate further tonight.
What matters now is maintaining public trust and ensuring a steady transition forward for the city.
I’m grateful to Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell for stepping into leadership during this transition - and I remain committed to supporting public safety that serves the entire community with professionalism, accountability, and compassion.
— CVP Jamal Osman (W6, DFL)
JUST IN: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara resigned Tuesday after facing discipline from Mayor Jacob Frey over allegations he interfered with an investigation into sexual relations with city employees.
“Trust is not secondary to the job, it is the job,” Frey said. “When trust is broken it becomes extremely difficult to continue leading effectively.”
Frey announced at an evening news conference he had accepted O’Hara’s resignation after informing the chief he would face discipline up to and including firing.
Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell will take over as interim chief effective immediately.
This is a developing news story. Go to mprnews.org for the latest. 📸 Ben Hovland | MPR News