Minneapolis, MN
5 Minneapolis mayoral candidates say they’d discipline Chief O’Hara for federal raid; Frey disagrees
In addition to O’Hara, Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell and several other MPD officers responded to the scene of the federal operation.
Days after the raid, Blackwell sent a memo to MPD employees reiterating that they’re not allowed to assist with immigration enforcement or crowd control.
MPD spokesman Garrett Parten said police will not respond if a peaceful crowd forms during an immigration operation, but will respond to reports of property damage or life-threatening situations.
“That is our duty,” he said. “We have a sworn duty to the people of Minneapolis.”
Fateh released a statement saying Frey and O’Hara overstepped the spirit of the city’s separation ordinance and a “lookback” on it is needed.
“It is also important to know what the mayor knew, when he knew it, and what decisions he made, as he has sole control over MPD,“ he said. ”As a hostile Trump administration militarizes our neighborhoods, this type of local accountability is more important than ever.“