Overview
- The Minneapolis City Council voted 10–2 Thursday to confirm Reginald Freeman as the city’s 19th fire chief, with Aisha Chughtai and Jason Chavez opposing the nomination.
- Freeman was not present for the vote because he remains based in Saudi Arabia and is expected to relocate to Minneapolis and start in the coming weeks.
- Council members cited more than 20 letters of support and the Minneapolis firefighters union endorsement as key reasons for backing Freeman despite reservations.
- During vetting members questioned Freeman about a federal lawsuit alleging gender discrimination at the Hartford fire department and about human rights concerns tied to his work in Saudi Arabia; Freeman said he was not named in the suit and pledged to address discrimination.
- Freeman succeeds interim Chief Melanie Rucker after Bryan Tyner’s retirement and will face immediate tasks such as improving firefighter wellness, boosting recruitment and retention, and advancing department modernization while the council continues local oversight.