Mayor names new interim Minneapolis police chief in wake of O'Hara resignation
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has announced a new selection for interim police chief following the sudden resignation of Chief Brian O'Hara one week ago.
New interim chief named
What we know:
Mayor Frey has named First Precinct Inspector Bill Peterson to serve as interim police chief.
The department says Peterson is a 30-year veteran of the force who has previously served with the Special Operations Division Patrol Unit, Violent Crimes Investigations Division, as a robbery investigator, and Fourth Precinct patrol.
The city says Peterson helped lead the department's response during the northside tornado, the I-35W bridge collapse, and the 2020 riots. He has also helped guide planning during major events like the MLB All-Star Game and Super Bowl LII.
Bill Peterson (City of Minneapolis / Supplied)
What they're saying:
"Bill Peterson is the right leader for this moment," said Mayor Frey in a provided statement. "He’s spent three decades serving Minneapolis, he’s earned the respect of officers across the department, and he understands that trust with the people of Minneapolis is paramount. Bill understands that trust is earned, and he has established a reputation of working every day to earn it."
Resignation reaction: O'Hara out as Minneapolis police chief
Many people are reacting to the sudden resignation of Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara. FOX 9's Karen Scullin has more.
The backstory:
The mayor initially announced Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell would serve as acting police chief in the immediate aftermath of Chief O'Hara resigning.
A report issued last week showed that O'Hara interfered with an internal investigation into potential sexual relationships between the former chief and other city employees. While the report was unable to substantiate the relationships, investigators found O'Hara had deleted a contact card in his work phone of one of the subjects in the investigation and had violated requested confidentiality during the investigation.
The mayor thanked Blackwell in a statement included in Tuesday's announcement.
What's next:
The interim chief will be introduced at a 3 p.m. news conference on Tuesday. FOX 9 will stream the press conference live on the player above and on YouTube channel.