Brian O'Hara has been named the new Police Chief of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) in Minnesota.

O’Hara joins the MPD after serving as Deputy Mayor of Newark, New Jersey in charge of overseeing strategic public safety initiatives.

In 2001, O’Hara joined the Newark Police Department as a police officer, rising through the ranks to become Captain in 2016. In 2021, he was appointed as the Public Safety Director for Newark overseeing more than 1,960 employees comprising 996 sworn police officers, 611 firefighters and 346 civilian employees and a budget that exceeded $200 million. In that role, O’Hara enhanced the collaborative working relationships among federal, state and local partners.

As former Captain of the Newark Police Department’s Consent Decree & Planning Division, O’Hara worked extensively with the Department of Justice on the 2016 consent decree between the U.S. and the City of Newark. 

“I’m pleased Mr. O’Hara has stepped up to lead the Minneapolis Police Department during this critical time of rebuilding the department. His experience in Newark made him a standout candidate in leading MPD under our newly structured Office of Community Safety,” said City Council President Andrea Jenkins. “Building trust with community members and thinking strategically around public safety response and reforms in policy, program and training are an important part of the job of police chief.”

Congratulations!