Misconduct complaints pile up against Minneapolis police Chief Brian O'Hara

MINNEAPOLIS — The number of misconduct complaints filed against Minneapolis police Chief Brian O’Hara has doubled since September, bringing to 30 the total number filed during his three-year tenure.

That’s more than the total filed against the previous four chiefs combined. Not one of the prior chiefs — Amelia Huffman, Medaria Arrando, Janeé Harteau and Tim Dolan — had more than four complaints in their roughly 30-year careers at the Minneapolis Police Department.

So far, eight of the complaints — which can come from within the department or from members of the public — have been closed without discipline by the Office of Community Safety, while 22 remain open.

None of the details of the complaints have been made public, as so far none has resulted in formal reprimand.

But the new batch of complaints comes at a precarious time for O’Hara: His three-year term as chief ended in December, and Mayor Jacob Frey has not yet formally nominated him for another term, even though he has put forward three of his Cabinet members.

The mayor’s office says the city charter gives him until August to nominate a chief.

O’Hara said he’s not notified when complaints are filed and doesn’t have details about their contents, but he said there’s a process to review all complaints and that he fully supports that process.

“I take my role as chief very seriously and remain focused on providing the leadership and stability needed to rebuild the department and meeting community expectations,” he said in a statement to The Minnesota Star Tribune.

In September, O’Hara was the subject of seven open and seven closed complaints, according to data on the city’s officer complaint history dashboard.

After state and federal investigations found Minneapolis police engaged in discriminatory policing for decades, the former Newark, New Jersey, police officer was touted as a change-maker capable of transforming the department. O’Hara, the first chief to come from outside the department in more than two decades, vowed to rebuild community trust while enacting sweeping reforms.

In July 2024, when there were just a handful of complaints pending against him, O’Hara brushed them off as petty grievances from officers resistant to change.

“I do think there’s a bad history here with people weaponizing the complaint process,” he told the Star Tribune at the time. “It’s ridiculous. I didn’t understand how bad it was until I got here. ... Cops have learned to use the system to their advantage, which they will do anywhere we let them.”

Although he’s faced calls to resign from vocal critics over controversies such as the 2024 shooting of Davis Moturi, the police chief remains popular with many Minneapolis residents, frequently getting a warm reception at community meetings and sporting events.

During Operation Metro Surge, O’Hara’s national profile reached new heights as he conducted frequent interviews with national outlets, from CNN to The New York Times. But even as his star was rising, Minneapolis progressives criticized O’Hara and his department for racking up millions in overtime but failing to stop widespread excessive force by federal agents. O’Hara has indicated his police force was trying to keep the peace and has expressed relief that protests didn’t turn to riots, as they did in 2020.

Frey has steadfastly stood by O’Hara in public, recently reaffirming his “full support” on WCCO radio — noting crime is down in most categories and MPD is making progress on police reform. But he stopped short of saying he plans to nominate O’Hara again.

In a statement to the Star Tribune, Frey said O’Hara has led the department through multiple “incredibly difficult crises,” helped rebuild the Police Department and strengthened trust between residents and police. He added, “I take any and all personnel complaints seriously and the city investigates as appropriate. The Minneapolis police chief is a high-profile position in a city where policing is a topic of significant public interest, and the public complaint process is highly valued.”

While the nature or cause of the fresh flurry of complaints is unclear, details from some of the older complaints have emerged.

Three complaints were lodged against O’Hara in his first year on the job. They involved allegations that he cursed out an Edina detective, failed to report using force in the field and was untruthful about the hiring of former Virginia Officer Tyler Timberlake, who had a checkered past. Timberlake was terminated from the department amid public outrage.

Lt. Sherral Schmidt, president of the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation, alleged that O’Hara was present during Timberlake’s final interview and “fully aware of his history.”

Timberlake later sued O’Hara and the city for defamation. The case remains pending; a trial date is set for next year.

Documents obtained by the Star Tribune indicate the complaint about O’Hara cursing out an Edina detective was resolved without discipline.

Former Community Safety Commissioner Cedric Alexander spoke with Edina Chief Todd Milburn via phone in December 2022 to offer his apologies for O’Hara’s behavior, records show, and later informed city officials that he intended to coach O’Hara on the matter.

The Star Tribune has learned a fourth complaint involved sexist language used in the front office. His then-executive assistant lodged a complaint, forwarded to human resources, alleging that he demeaned female lieutenants and civilian staff by calling them “chicks” and “girls” in a Jan. 3, 2023, full-staff meeting, according to records obtained by the Star Tribune.

The status of this complaint — or whether it was ever investigated — remains unclear.

Schmidt, the union president, did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

T. Anansi Wilson, a former professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law who now works as a criminal defense attorney in Kansas City, said that while it’s unknown whether the complaints can be substantiated or how serious they are, the sheer number is concerning.

“And, of course, he’s in leadership, so he is a bigger target,” Wilson said. “It’s certainly something to look into.”

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