Frey names 30-year department veteran as interim Minneapolis police chief
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has named an interim police chief as the city looks to replace Brian O’Hara, who resigned last week.
Frey announced Tuesday that Bill Peterson, the current 1st Precinct inspector and a 30-plus-year veteran of the department, will fill that role. The First Precinct includes downtown Minneapolis and the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.
Over his career with MPD, Peterson has held leadership roles in emergency response to major incidents, and in implementing new training for officers.
Frey said Peterson’s experience makes him the right choice to serve in the interim role.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
“He’s spent three decades serving Minneapolis, he’s earned the respect of officers across the department, and he understands that trust with the people of Minneapolis is paramount,” Frey said in a statement. “Bill understands that trust is earned, and he has established a reputation of working every day to earn it.”
Peterson said he aims to bring stability to the position.
“We are a department in transition, however, the foundation of our department is strong,” Peterson said. “We have great people, we have great leaders, and we are a fully functioning police department that is still moving forward.”
Peterson said he lived within city limits for 25 years. He said he’ll bring relationships he’s built with community members to bear during his time as interim chief.
“I'm known within our police department and, again, I have been involved in a variety of major incidents over the course of my 30 years,” Peterson said. “I've proven leadership within our department, and I believe that in and of itself will give our membership confidence going forward.”
Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette said he’s known and trusted Peterson since Barnette served as chief judge in Hennepin County.
“We have a really good relationship, and I believe that relationship will serve the city well as we continue down this road the next couple of months,” Barnette said. “I'm confident in his experience and leadership, and I truly want to thank him for stepping up and answering the call.”
Barnette said he expects the search for a new chief to take about six months and that he’s open to internal candidates.
Peterson said he’s not interested in applying for the permanent chief position. Peterson said he doesn’t yet have specific plans for his tenure, but is focused immediately on preparing for big summer events like the Pride Parade.
"These jobs are extremely demanding,” Peterson said. “I understand the demands of it, but I'm at a point in my career where I still love to lead, but the constant public scrutiny is something that at this point I just don't want to have to deal with."
Communities United Against Police Brutality President Michelle Gross said she'd like to see community members be allowed to interview candidates early in the selection process. She's skeptical internal candidates will bring the necessary reforms to the department, which is subject to a court-enforceable agreement on policing with the state Department of Human Rights.
"What we really need in this department is a change of culture,” Gross said. “That can't happen with people that are so steeped in the culture we have now."
Communities United Against Police Brutality said Peterson is the subject of 16 complaints during his tenure on the force, although he wasn’t disciplined for any.
The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis released a statement that congratulates Peterson and says he’s widely respected by the rank-and-file of the department: “Minneapolis continues to face public safety challenges, and we believe Chief Peterson’s experience, credibility and dedication to this city position him well to lead the department through this transition.”
Peterson takes over from Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell, who had been serving as acting chief in the immediate wake of O’Hara’s resignation.
