MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis City Council swore in the city's new police chief, Brian O'Hara, at a small ceremony on Monday morning.
O'Hara, the former deputy mayor of Newark, New Jersey, was nominated by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and approved to lead the city's police department last week. Monday's ceremony was a "very small, private event," according to a statement from Mayor Frey's office, to get him sworn in so he can begin his new job.
“This moment matters,” said Mayor Frey said in a statement. “The act of stepping up for this job – at this time – is an act of courage, and Brian O’Hara is exactly the type of person our city, our community, and our police department needs right now. He is an inclusive leader, a forward thinker, and a person of the highest moral integrity. His unrelenting willingness to show up and be present will allow him to succeed in driving police reform, reducing violent crime, and strengthening police-community relations."
O'Hara has worked in law enforcement and public safety for nearly two decades. He joined Newark's police department in 2001 and became captain in 2006.
"I certainly believe things happen for a reason. I think the experiences that I have had in Newark have prepared me for this moment. I believe that I am here on purpose," O'Hara said in an interview with KARE 11's Danny Spewak. "It's work that I've found incredibly rewarding and fulfilling, personally. I believe that I am where I am supposed to be right now."
A larger public event is set to be held for O'Hara's swearing-in ceremony in the upcoming week, according to Mayor Frey's office.
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