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Before you go, would you consider becoming a sustainer to MPR News?

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Your monthly gift supports trusted journalism, music discovery, and community conversation for all – no matter where you live or how you listen. From the broadcast to the podcast, on-air and online, gifts from individuals power everything you find at Minnesota Public Radio.

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Dear reader,

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Crime, Law and Justice

September 24, 2024 5:30 AM

Morales out as chief of Metro Transit Police

A man stands and smiles-2 — Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III chats with colleagues ahead of a news conference at the Lake St. Light rail station in Minneapolis on August 15, 2023.
Matt Sepic | MPR News

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Ernest Morales III is no longer the chief of Metro Transit Police.

A Met Council spokesperson confirmed late Monday that Morales “has left the organization,” but did not provide further details.

The departure comes after Morales was placed on paid leave in August for unspecified reasons.

An email to Metro Transit Police staff says Capt. Joseph Dotseth will serve as interim chief for the agency.

Morales, who spent most of his career with the New York City Police Department, took over leadership of Metro Transit Police in early 2023, as Metro Transit was dealing with a pandemic-related ridership slump and an increase in violent crime.

Last month, the agency announced that reported crime on the transit system dropped 17.5 percent in the second quarter of 2024, while ridership increased 9 percent in the first half of 2024 compared to the same periods last year.

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