Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is responding for the first time to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara's "bizarre ideology" jab at Minneapolis' politics during an interview with the New York Post last week.
O'Hara stated his surprise at how politicized policing in Minneapolis had become after the killing of George Floyd, suggesting that a "liberal mentality" often got in the way of "reality and facts."
Mayor Frey tells WCCO's Chad Hartman he didn't think the comment was directed at him.
"Did you think it was more directed at some of the folks on the city council that you may not agree with," Hartman asked.
"Here's how I took it. That occasionally politics, and specifically more extreme politics, gets in the way of just reasoned common sense decision making," says Frey. "And if that's what he meant by it, I agree."
Frey suggested O'Hara, having worked in New Jersey, might be more accustomed to East Coast politics than Midwest politics.
"So, I also grew up on the East Coast, and it is a very difficult, different political climate," Frey told WCCO's Hartman. "I mean, that's true. And I think what the chief was talking about was the general leadership of the political class in the city."
When asked if the chief's comments took aim at the city council, the Mayor sidestepped an answer.
Even Frey, who is a Democrat, has run into issues with a very progressive-leaning City Council on several issues including with police and police funding, what to do with George Floyd Square, the future of the burned down 3rd Police Precinct and other issues.