MINNEAPOLIS — Recently published internal documents reveal that Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara fired one of his officers in February of this year for violating multiple department policies while engaging in sexual activity while on duty and in uniform.
The decision to discharge Officer Juan Alonzo Jr. was announced on Feb. 22 after an internal affairs investigation revealed he engaged in sexual activity on multiple occasions while on duty in the fall of 2022, using a city squad car to transport himself out of his assigned precinct without being assigned a call in that area and for personal reasons.
Investigators learned that Alonzo also exchanged graphic pictures and messages with the female, who he met on the dating app Grindr, and referred to his status as a Minneapolis police officer while seeking sexual interactions. They also determined
Among their specific findings:
- On 9/2/2022, Officer Alonzo communicated via the Grindr website with a community member and discussed a meeting to engage in sexual activity while in uniform and on duty.
- The community member met with Internal Affairs investigators and confirmed that she had engaged in sexual activity with Officer Alonzo multiple times within her home and that he was in full uniform. She provided text messages substantiating meetings on 9/3/2022 and 9/26/2022.
- On 9/3/2022 and 9/26/2022, AVL data shows squad car 563, manned by Officer Alonzo, parked in the area of the community member’s residence. This area is not in the 5th Precinct. The squad car is not shown to be assigned to any calls of service within the area.
- Officer Alonzo admitted in his investigative interview that, on 9/3/2022 and 9/26/2022, he met with a community member in her home and had oral sex performed on him while on duty and assigned to a district squad car.
- Officer Alonzo acknowledged that these described actions could be concerning to the community and stated, “It would be concerning because I could see where people would believe that I’m intentionally leaving an emergency call; you know, it also devalues like the trust of police and community,” during his Garrity statement.
"As Chief of Police, I am responsible for providing clear expectations about behavior and conduct in all situations, not just when it is convenient," O'Hara wrote while explaining his decision to fire Officer Alonzo. "These expectations extend from myself to the command staff and all levels of the Minneapolis Police Department. My predecessors have also borne responsibility for setting expectations, and it is incumbent on every Chief to hold officers accountable for breaches of those expectations."
O'Hara said one of the allegations against Alonzo - violating the department's vehicle responsibility policy - would alone have resulted in suspension and not dismissal, but the other three sustained allegations warranted his firing.
