Mayor Jacob Frey responds to Minneapolis council's criticism on police chief resignation

Mpls Mayor on city council's criticism on police chief's resignation

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey spoke with FOX 9's Courtney Godfrey on Brian O'Hara's resignation as police chief. He responds to criticism from the city council. 

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday responded to City Council President Elliot Payne's criticism for not informing them about the investigation into former Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara before his resignation. 

READ MORE: Minneapolis council leaders call out lack of transparency after chief's resignation

Minneapolis Mayor responds to city council on police chief's resignation 

Why Mpls Mayor didn't put O'Hara on leave

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey explains why he didn't put Police Chief Brian O'Hara on leave during the investigation into his conduct. 

What they're saying:

A spokesperson for Mayor Frey shared the following statement on why other city leaders were not informed of the investigations into O'Hara as they were taking place:

"Personnel investigations must be treated with utmost sensitivity. We limit the sharing of information about ongoing personnel investigations to only a small need-to-know circle of individuals, and even they only receive information when they need to know it. 

"This is so that the information remains confidential, individuals’ rights are protected, and the integrity of the investigation is not disrupted. Disclosure of not public data outside of that small need-to-know circle can lead to breach of confidentiality, rumors, speculation, and incomplete information spreading before facts are known and decisions are made.

"These investigations are handled confidentially for a reason. The responsible thing to do here was to let the investigation conclude, review the final findings, and then act immediately once there was substantiated information. And that’s exactly what happened here."

Mayor Frey released the following statement in response to the Minneapolis City Council news conference held Wednesday afternoon:

"I don’t make decisions based on rumors and anonymous complaints because that would mean making decisions based on optics not facts. I took action promptly after receiving the investigative report with substantiated findings. That’s accountability. But decisions this serious have to be grounded in facts, evidence, and completed investigations. Anything less would be irresponsible." 

Minneapolis City Council decries mayor's ‘lack of transparency’

The other side:

Minneapolis city council leaders held a news conference Wednesday afternoon to discuss the sudden departure.

During the presser, council members called on the mayor for more communication with the council. They say they were left in the dark about both investigations into O'Hara even as he was re-nominated.

"We knew of no actual formal investigations at that time, none of that was disclosed to us," Payne said. "We discovered the depth of these investigations last night when the mayor shared out the report that closed the investigation into the interference into the previous investigations."

"We're not even speaking to the substance of the allegations," Payne said. "We're speaking to the lack of transparency and disclosure of these investigations before we even get into the substance of those investigations."

Council members also questioned why Frey allowed O'Hara to not only continue to serve as chief while the investigation was underway but nominate him for another term.

"Mayor Frey has yet to explain or defend his choice to allow Brian O'Hara to remain the acting chief of police while these claims were being investigated, or why he even nominated him for a second term," added Wonsley.