Minneapolis City Council approves nomination of Brian O'Hara for MPD Chief

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After a unanimous vote by the Minneapolis City Council Thursday, Brian O’Hara was approved to be the next chief of police.

O’Hara most recently was deputy mayor in Newark, New Jersey. Before that, he was the public safety director in Newark and has a decades-long career as a police officer.

"This moment matters," Mayor Jacob Frey said in a press release. "The act of stepping up for this job – at this time – is an act of courage, and Brian O’Hara is exactly the type of person our city, our community, and our police department needs right now. He is an inclusive leader, a forward thinker, and a person of the highest moral integrity. His unrelenting willingness to show up and be present will allow him to succeed in driving police reform, reducing violent crime, and strengthening police-community relations. I look forward to witnessing Chief O’Hara’s legacy in Minneapolis."

Fox 9 previously sat down with O’Hara for an interview where he said his first priorities will be to meet with residents, community leaders, meet police rank and file, and listen. Outside of that, he says gun violence tops the list. He likes what he sees with Operation Endeavor and says the residents he’s spoken with do too.

"What I have heard particularly from residents is particularly downtown here is that people love it," O'Hara explained. "People love seeing the visible enhanced presence of police, not just here but on the north side as well and other parts of the city."

O’Hara will start his role as chief on November 7th, 2022.