Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara now admits to have sat in on the final interview of a now-fired MPD officer
Until now, O'Hara has insinuated that he learned about Tyler Timberlake's past assault and battery arrest and subsequent acquittal at his previous job in Virginia from a report by the Minnesota Reformer back in April.
But over the weekend, emails obtained by the Star Tribune and others seemed to show that Timberlake was in fact transparent about his past throughout the hiring process, and that O'Hara had signed off on it.
In a statement released last night, O'Hara now admits that his second day of employment with MPD, he did observe Timerberlake's interview.
But he goes on to say that once he found out about the existence of a video of the incident in question, he ordered an investigation into the hiring.
He also says any implication that he knew about the video at the time of hire and later lied is false.
Statement from Minneapolis Police Chief O'Hara
July 9, 2023 (Minneapolis) Minneapolis Chief O'Hara has issued the following statement.
“I understand from talking with the City Attorney that my ability to discuss personnel matters publicly is very limited under Minnesota law. But this is what I can say: The MPD hiring process involves a background investigation and also screening by a hiring roundtable. Candidates who advance past those steps of the process are eligible for an interview as the last step of the process. On my second day of employment with the MPD, I observed Mr. Timberlake’s interview. He was hired thereafter.
I did not know of the existence of video capturing a use of force incident involving this individual until after receiving a media inquiry. Upon learning of the existence of video and seeing it myself, I immediately ordered an investigation into MPD’s hiring processes.
I was hired to become the MPD chief in order to reform the department and restore faith and pride in the MPD patch.
To imply that I had known about this video at the time of hire and later lied is false.”
