>>> MINNEAPOLIS CITY POLITICS, POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY CONTINUE TO MAKE HEADLINES.

MAYOR JAKUB FRY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY NIGHT, ANNOUNCING THE RESIGNATION OF BRIAN O'HARA.

THE RESIGNATION AME AFTER THE MAYOR NOTIFIED THE CHIEF THAT HE WAS FACING DISCIPLINE FOR TAMPERING WITH A SEXUAL MIMPERING WITH A SEXUAL MISCERING WITH A SEXUAL MISCONING WITH A SEXUAL MISCONDUG WITH A SEXUAL MISCONDUCTWITH A SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ITH A SEXUAL MISCONDUCT INV A SEXUAL MISCONDUCT INVES SEXUAL MISCONDUCT INVESTIEXUAL MISCONDUCT INVESTIGAUAL MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATIL MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATION.

NOW THAT INVESTIGATION DID NOT SUBSTANTIATE THE MISCONDUCT CLAIMS AGAINST THE CHIEF, BUT A SECOND INVESTIGATION FOUND THE TAMPERING.

O'HARA'S CITY COUNCIL NOMINATION HEARING WAS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK.

>>> CITY COUNCIL PRETZEL NOT PAYNE REPRESENTS PART OF NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS AND HAS BEEN PUBLICLY CRITICAL OF THE ANYWAY YOUR.

HE'S A FREQUENT ALLY OF THE MAYOR'S, BUT HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHIEF BEFORE THE TAMPERING WAS VERIFIED.

A QUICK NOTE BEFORE WE START HERE.

WE DID INVITE MAYOR FREY TO JOIN US.

HE DECLINED.

Mr.

PRESIDENT, THIS LETTER THAT THE MAYOR SENT TO CHIEF O'HARA HIGHLY CRITICAL, ACCUSING HIM F INTERFERING WITH AN INVESTIGATION, OF BREACH OF TRUST, UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR.

THE LIST GOES ON.

AND I'M WONDERING, WHY THE MAYOR HAD RENOMINATED THE CHIEF, GIVEN THAT SET OF COMMENTS.

>>> THAT'S THE $20 MILLION QUESTION.

THERE WAS A LOT THAT WE KNEW ABOUT THE CHIEF.

THERE WAS A LOT THAT WAS RUMORED AND I THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE A DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTIGATING THOSE RUMORS.

WE WERE NOT REALLY IN LIGHT WITH WHAT THE DETAILS OF THOSE INVESTIGATIONS WERE.

BUT THE MAYOR SHOULD BE VERY HANDS-ON AND UNDERSTANDING THE TOTALITY, HETHER THAT'S HIS CONDUCT INVESTIGATION, HIS MANAGEMENT OF THE BUDGET, HIS RESPONSE TO THE METRO SURGE.

AND USE THAT AS A TOTAL ANALYSIS ON WHETHER OR NOT HE SHOULD GET THE NOMINATION, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY GENUINELY SURPRISING TO ME THAT HE NOMINATED HIM WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE.

>>> WHEN -- ON THE HEARING THAT TALKED ABOUT THE CHIEF, PEOPLE WERE A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED THAT YOU WERE NOT FOR THE CHIEF'S RENOMINATION.

WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

>>> WELL, SO WHAT WE'RE IN CHARGE OF IS -- THIS IS A JOB REVIEW.

AND I HAD QUESTIONS.

AND I DID PPROACH WITH THOSE QUESTIONS.

AND HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO PROOF.

THAT HESE ARE ALL RUMORS.

THEY'RE ANONYMOUS ALLEGATIONS.

BUT I STILL HAD QUESTIONS.

AND THE AYOR DID PROMISE ME THAT IF HE GOT PROOF THAT THERE WAS MISCONDUCT, HE WOULD ACT IMMEDIATELY.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

SO THE MAYOR DID A GREAT JOB, IN MY OPINION.

HE DID -- THERE'S PRIVACY ISSUES.

YOU KNOW, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.

AND YOU CAN'T VOTE ON RUMORS AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.

>>> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.

SO YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION.

BUT I'M KIND OF WONDERING, THE CITY PAID A PRIVATE LAW FIRM TO DO THIS INVESTIGATION, THESE INVESTIGATIONS, HOW DOES THE CITY PAY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITHOUT THE COUNCIL KNOWING?

>>> SO, IN THIS INSTANCE, IT WAS PART OF A MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THESE TO IMAGINE HR ISSUES, LEGAL ISSUES.

SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY COME TO US FOR A VOTE FOR A CONTRACT APPROVAL.

BUT LIKE I SAID, THE MAYOR KNEW THAT THE INVESTIGATION WAS REOPENED AFTER LEARNING NEW INFORMATION BACK IN DECEMBER.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WISE OF HIM TO WAIT UNTIL THAT INVESTIGATION WAS CONCLUDED BEFORE BRINGING A NOMINATION FORWARD.

AND THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, WHAT WAS THE RUSH.

>>> WELL, AND SO I SEE IT DIFFERENTLY, AS WELL.

YOU -- THE MAYOR HAS ALWAYS SAID THAT HE WOULD ACT UPON THE COMPLETION OF THE INVESTIGATION.

IT WAS COMPLETED, HE GOT THE REPORT IN THE MORNING BY THAT AFTERNOON.

THE CHIEF WAS SHOWN THE REPORT, ALLOWED TO READ IT.

AND HE RESIGNED IMMEDIATELY.

SO IN MY OPINION, THE MAYOR DID EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK.

>>> CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING?

SO TODD BARNETT, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY, WAS CHIEF O'HARA'S BOSS.

WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE COMMISSIONER'S LEADERSHIP THAT THIS WENT ON?

>>> YOU RAISE THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR, CATHY.

SO WHO SUPERVISES THE CHIEF?

IT HAD BEEN THE MAYOR, UP UNTIL THE NEW STRUCTURE, THE NEW GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE.

AND NOW IS IT THE COMMISSIONER?

OR IS IT THE MAYOR?

>>> ISN'T IT PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE CHARTER SAYS THE MAYOR IS IN CHARGE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT?

>>> THIS IS THE CON DRUM.

THE CHARTER COMMISSION OPPOSED A STRONG LAYER SYSTEM UNDER THE ARGUMENT THAT THERE IS TOO MANY BOSSES AND THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CLARITY OF DIRECTION, AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH CLARITY OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

THAT'S BEEN RESOLVED.

SO HOW DO WE ARRIVE HERE WITH THAT CLARITY THAT THE CHARTER COMMISSION PROPOSED?

APPROXIMATE WITH -- TO BE CLEAR -- BARNETT WAS THE FORMER HEAD JUDGE OF HENNEPIN COUNTY WHO APPOINTED MANY OF THOSE CHARTER COMMISSION MEMBERS.

AND SO IT -- THERE IS AN ENTANGLEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE UNPACKED AROUND HOW ARE WE ACHIEVING THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WAS CONTEMPLATED WITH THAT GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE CHANGE WITH A ORMER JUDGE WHO APPOINTED THE MEMBERS THAT ADVOCATED FOR THAT, WHILE THEY'RE CURRENTLY TRYING TO STRIP OUR APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY RIGHT NOW.

>>> AND WE SHOULD ALSO ADD FOR LISTENERS IN GREATER MINNESOTA, TOO, THE RENOMINATION OF THE COMMISSIONER IS STILL HANGING IN THE BALANCE, RIGHT?

>>> IT'S UP IN THE BALANCE.

WE VOTED TWICE NOW.

AND 7/6 VOTES BOTH TIMES TO NOT APPROVE HIS APPOINTMENT.

THE MAYOR VETOED BOTH F THESE DECISIONS AND THAT VETO IS UPHELD.

SO WE'LL BE VOTING ON THAT AGAIN.

>>> TO ADVANCE THE STORY, QUALITIES YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN A NEW CHIEF.

>>> INTEGRITY, WOULD BE A VERY GOOD STARTING POINT.

AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS A REALLY EGREGIOUS LACK OF INTEGRITY TO HAVE THAT SUBSTANTIATED EVIDENCE THAT HE HAD INTERFERED IN AN INVESTIGATION.

AND I THINK AS WE'RE REBUILDING3 TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO SEE THAT INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY EMBODIED IN THAT NEW LEADER.

>>> SO CHIEF O'HARA WAS DOING A GREAT JOB, YOU KNOW, HE WAS THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME.

THE MORALE -- HE BOOSTED THE MORALE, THE RECRUITMENT WAS ON THE YUP RISE.

THOSE WERE VERY GOOD QUALITIES.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE FAILED.

HIS HUMANNESS SHOWED.

AND THAT SHOULD NEVER BE A REFLECTION ON THE FORCE ITSELF.

ONE PERSON DOES NOT DICTATE THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THOSE BRAVE WOMEN AND MEN SERVE US EVERY DAY.

THEY'RE UNDERSTAFFED BY ABOUT HALF.

AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

THE NEW CHIEF WILL INHERIT A FORCE THAT IS UNDERSTAFFED, BUT WE -- I AGREE WITH PRESIDENT PAYNE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE INTEGRITY, COMMUNITY TRUST IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

>>> NOW, YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF THE CHIEF'S, RIGHT?

>>> I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY THAT.

I HAD A VERY FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHIEF.

>>> OKAY.

>>> AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A BROADER CONVERSATION THAN UST ONE HEROIC FIGURE THAT IS GOING TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR POLICE REFORM PROBLEMS.

AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN FOR MANY CHIEFS A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE FACED.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO ACTUALLY EMBRACE THE FULL HUMANITY OF THESE LEADERS AND HAVE AN ABILITY TO ACTUALLY HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT, AND WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT RUMORS, INVESTIGATE THEM, AND PROBABLY PUT THEM ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, EVEN IF THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD OPTICALLY.

THOSE BAD OPPOSICS ARE SERVING THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

AND SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SET THOSE TYPES OF OPTICS-BASED CONSIDERATIONS ASIDE THAT WE CAN GET TO A DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS THAT IS FAIR AND JUST TO THE SUBJECT BUT ALSO PROTECTS THOSE WITNESSES AND DMIB ELSE WHO MIGHT BE INVOLVED.

>>> WHO ADVANCES A LIST OF NOMINEE -- POTENTIAL CANDIDATES TO WHOM?

DOES THE COUNCIL SEND T TO THE MAYOR?

>>> UNDER THE CITY CHARTER, THE MAYOR ADVANCES IT TO THE COUNCIL.

>>> IS THERE A TIMELINE?

>>> 30 DAYS FOR THE INTERN MAYOR.

THERE IS USUALLY NOT A TIMELINE FOR THE FULL-TIME MAYOR.

>>> WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT KATIE BLACK WELL, THE ACTING CHIEF?

>>> I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN ER FOR THIS TRANSITION PERIOD, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE AN EXPANSIVE VIEW OF DEFINING THE ROLE SO WE ARE PICKING THE RIGHT LEADER FOR THE LONG LONG-TERM.

>>> AND WOULD SHE BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIEF?

>>> WE'LL SEE AFTER SHE GETS A TASTE OF THE APPLE IF SHE WANTS TO CONTINUE ON, RIGHT?

>>> I'M WONDERING FOR THE RANK AND FILE OFFICERS, I WONDER WHAT KIND OF -- I WONDER HOW MUCH THOSE SORTS OF LEADERSHIP CHANGES AFFECT RANK AND FILE OFFICERS.

>>> I'VE HAD A OT OF CALLS AND CONVERSATIONS.

I GET ALONG GREAT WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN SPORTS, THEY HAVE A SAYING, NEXT MAN UP.

IF SOMEONE GETS HURT OR INJURED, YOU JUST GO.

AND THE AVERAGE POLICE OFFICER PROBABLY -- IN A 30-YEAR CAREER WOULD HAVE SIX, SEVEN CHIEFS.

SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.

THE AVERAGE TENURE OF A BIG CITY CHIEF IS FIVE YEARS.

HE SERVED THREE-AND-A-HALF.

>>> OKAY.

>>> AND IS IT IS THE DEPARTMENT BETTER OR WORSE FOR O'HARA'S SERVICE?

>>> IT'S A MIXED RESULT.

BECAUSE I THINK AS COUNCILMEMBER RAINVILLE SAID, WE HAD SOME SUCCESSES WITH RECRUITMENT, SOME WITH MORALE.

WE DID IMPLEMENT SOME MEANINGFUL REFORMS EARLY ON WITH THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, BUT WE GOT SOME OF THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT DONE AND NOW ARE TIPPING INTO THE REAL, DEEP, HARD WORK OF TRAINING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE HE WAS FALLING A LITTLE BIT SHORT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR IN THE NEXT LEADER.

>>> APPRECIATE YOU GUYS