Minneapolis City Council Rejects Bill Peterson for Police Chief Role

“It really took me aback that, you know, a veteran of 30 years in the Minneapolis Police Department couldn’t recall a moment of somebody doing anything racist like that,” said Council President Elliott Payne, Thursday.

The Minneapolis City Council rejected Bill Peterson’s nomination for police chief in an 8-5 vote, the first time in modern history the council has blocked a nominee for the city's top law enforcement role. The rejection of the 31-year department veteran has left the agency’s long-term leadership in a state of uncertainty.

The vote follows a day of shifting momentum. According to ArcaMax, top Minneapolis police supervisors initially believed the interim chief had sufficient votes to secure the position during closed-door discussions on Thursday morning. However, those expectations evaporated by mid-afternoon after hours of questioning from skeptical council members.

Peterson has indicated he will use the weekend to decide whether to remain in consideration for the permanent role. If he withdraws, Mayor Jacob Frey will be forced to find a new candidate capable of securing a majority in a council dominated by a progressive bloc that has already rejected another of the mayor’s top public safety picks earlier this year.

The friction over department culture

The primary catalyst for the rejection centered on Peterson’s inability to cite specific instances of racial, sexist, or homophobic slurs during his three decades with the department. This lack of acknowledgment came despite the Minneapolis Police Department’s documented history regarding discriminatory policing practices.

Council Member Pearll Warren, who initially signaled support for the nominee, changed her stance after learning of two open misconduct complaints against him. Warren emphasized the need for leadership that acknowledges the city’s systemic hurdles.

“Be honest enough to admit that you have seen or witnessed or experienced racism or discrimination,” Warren told a news conference following the meeting. “Make that be the torch and the reason why you are seeking this role and position in leadership, that you want to be the instrument of change.”

The political divide is deepened by the 2021 passage of a strong mayor ballot measure, which eliminated the executive committee previously responsible for collaborating on nominations. This change has increased friction between the mayor's office and the council, as the mayor must now manage individual votes without a built-in consensus mechanism.

Stakes for Minneapolis public safety

The leadership vacuum arrives at a time when the city is still grappling with the fallout of 2020, characterized by a breakdown in community trust and a state consent decree. The search for a permanent chief is complicated by the difficulty of recruiting outsiders to a role many consider the most challenging policing job in the country.

Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges, who participated in the interview panels, suggested that the current political climate makes the position nearly impossible to fill with high-quality external candidates. He noted that the constant political friction creates a perception of dysfunction within the city government.

A prolonged vacancy carries high economic and social costs. A new national search would require substantial time and taxpayer funding, yet community advocacy groups are pushing for a complete reset of the process.

Communities United Against Police Brutality has called for Mayor Frey to reopen the search to external candidates with proven records of cultural reform.
The department has struggled with stability following the ousting of former chief Brian O’Hara this spring.
Interim leadership under Peterson had reportedly begun to stabilize department morale following recent budget crises and high-profile shootings.

A difficult path for Mayor Frey

Mayor Frey faces a narrow window to resolve the impasse. He has one week to decide whether to exercise his power to veto the council’s rejection, a move that would effectively keep Peterson’s nomination active. To secure Peterson’s confirmation in a subsequent vote, the mayor would need at least two council members to change their positions.

Minneapolis police interim chief bill peterson

While some critics argue that Peterson’s late entry into the permanent race—after other external candidates had already withdrawn—suggests a weighted process, Frey has defended the recruitment efforts as a “full and fair process.”

The debate over whether to prioritize internal stability or external reform remains unresolved. As the weekend progresses, the city waits to see if the interim chief will fight for the permanent position or if the search for a new leader will begin from scratch.

“They’re looking for a diamond in the rough — and I don’t think they’re going to find it,” said Booker Hodges.