Minneapolis' police chief is out of a job, not because of the outcome of an investigation into his conduct, but because of what he allegedly did during the probe. Brian O'Hara resigned Tuesday after Mayor Jacob Frey told him he faced discipline, possibly firing, over findings that he allegedly deleted a witness contact from his city-issued phone and ignored orders not to discuss the investigation, reports MPR. A law firm's review could not verify claims that O'Hara had sexual relationships with city employees, and the Star-Tribune reports Frey said those claims remain unsubstantiated. But Frey said the trust needed to lead the department had been broken: "Trust is not secondary to the job, it is the job."
O'Hara, confirmed unanimously by the City Council in 2022, was brought in to overhaul the Minneapolis Police Department after George Floyd's murder and a wave of officer departures. Frey had just nominated him for a second term; the council had not yet voted.
O'Hara leaves amid ongoing criticism from some council members over the pace of reforms and a $19 million budget overrun, and with 17 open complaints lodged against him with the city's police oversight system. The AP reports the city will continue investigating those complaints. The Star-Tribune reports that the number of misconduct complaints lodged against O'Hara during his tenure exceeded the combined total of those filed against the previous four chiefs.
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