Overview
- Mayor Jacob Frey sent O’Hara’s four-year nomination to the City Council Thursday, starting a confirmation process with no clear vote count.
- Frey pointed to public-safety gains under O’Hara, citing 64 homicides in 2025, fewer shootings in north Minneapolis early this year, and a surge in police applications toward a goal of 800 officers.
- O’Hara faces backlash for comments on the Davis Moturi shooting and Allison Lussier’s death, which the city auditor called harmful, leading to his apology to Lussier’s family.
- Police overtime rose from $22.6 million in 2023 to $31 million in 2025 and is expected to climb in 2026 after a federal immigration enforcement surge, which O’Hara links to short staffing and recruits still in training.
- Frey warned a rejection could trigger a year of leadership uncertainty, as the council also weighs Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette’s status before an August 3 deadline.