Minneapolis City Council Rejects Mayor's Pick for Police Chief

The Minneapolis City Council voted 8-5 on Thursday to reject Mayor Jacob Frey’s selection of Bill Peterson to serve as the city’s permanent police chief.

Peterson had been serving as the interim chief following the resignation of Brian O’Hara, who stepped down after revelations regarding the tampering of an internal investigation, CBS News reported.

The decision leaves the Minneapolis Police Department in a leadership transition while the agency faces scrutiny over its internal processes and community relations.

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“I will be the first to say that our police department needs a lot of work and at the same time I’m extraordinarily proud of them. Both of those things can be true at the same time,” Mayor Jacob Frey said during the proceedings.

The council’s rejection of the nomination highlights deep political fractures regarding the future direction of law enforcement in the city. While some members viewed Peterson as a stabilizing force, others expressed a desire for a different leadership profile.

The vote breakdown was as follows:

Vote Action	Council Members
Rejected Nomination	Elliott Payne, Robin Wonsley, LaTrisha Vetaw, Pearll Warren, Soren Stevenson, Jason Chavez, Aisha Chughtai, and Aurin Chowdhury
Supported Nomination	Michael Rainville, Jamal Osman, Elizabeth Shaffer, Jamison Whiting, and Linea Palmisano

Council member LaTrisha Vetaw indicated her opposition was driven by a preference for a different candidate, though she did not name them during the session.

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Mayor Frey had advocated for Peterson based on the feedback gathered from community listening sessions held throughout Minneapolis. The mayor argued that the department required an internal candidate who possessed a deep understanding of the agency’s recent challenges.

“You may have another ideal candidate but at the same time, Interim Chief Billy Peterson is an incredibly and exceptionally qualified person for this job,” Frey said.

Minneapolis City Council rejects Mayor Frey’s police chief nominee — KSTP 5 Eyewitness News

Peterson’s tenure with the Minneapolis Police Department spans 31 years. During those three decades, he held various leadership roles, including serving as the leader of the First Precinct.

Despite his extensive experience, the council’s refusal to confirm him suggests that institutional knowledge alone may not be sufficient to satisfy the current legislative requirements for the role.

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The rejection follows the leadership vacuum created by O'Hara's departure, which has left the city searching for a permanent figurehead to manage both departmental reform and public trust.

The Mayor’s office has not yet announced a timeline for a new nomination.