Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara resigned on May 27, 2026, rather than face disciplinary action for interfering with an investigation into his conduct. Mayor Jacob Frey announced that O'Hara stepped down after being informed he would face discipline, which could include termination.

O'Hara was under investigation following a 2024 anonymous complaint alleging he engaged in intimate relationships with city employees. Investigators determined those specific allegations were not substantiated. However, they concluded O'Hara interfered with the probe by deleting a contact card of a city employee from his city-issued cell phone. The contact was present during the first phone imaging on May 7, 2025, but absent during a second imaging, and was the only one deleted out of approximately 600.

Investigators also found that O'Hara disclosed details of the investigation to at least one city employee despite being instructed to keep it confidential. A recording of a conversation between that employee and a witness confirmed O'Hara discussed the investigation with her. O'Hara initially denied texting the employee but later admitted to sending her a message to connect her with another employee. The employee whose contact was deleted denied having a sexual relationship with O'Hara.

In a written reprimand, Mayor Jacob Frey stated that O'Hara’s conduct “constitutes serious misconduct” and represents a “breach of trust.” Frey added, “It was an extremely painful decision, obviously, but I concluded that that was necessary to maintain public trust, and this was the right way to move forward as a city.” He also said, “Trust is not secondary to the job. It is the job.”

O'Hara was informed of the investigation during a meeting with Frey and Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette on May 1, 2025. Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell assumed interim leadership of the Minneapolis Police Department following O'Hara’s resignation. Jennifer Lor, spokesperson for the mayor’s office, said the city will continue investigating the 17 open complaints against O'Hara unrelated to the investigation that led to his resignation.

O'Hara became police chief in 2022. He oversaw the law enforcement response to the Annunciation Catholic School shooting in August 2025. He did not immediately respond to a LinkedIn message seeking comment.