Backlog of Internal Affairs complaints hinders Minneapolis police reform efforts

MINNEAPOLIS - More than two years into Minneapolis' push to implement a court-ordered settlement agreement, police reform efforts lag behind - stymied by a persistent backlog of Internal Affairs cases and high staff turnover, according to an evaluator's report released this week.

The 40-page document, from the nonprofit Effective Law Enforcement For All, takes a markedly sharper tone about the Minneapolis Police Department's continued inability to investigate and adjudicate misconduct complaints against its officers in a timely fashion. Such delays erode public trust and prevent "corrective action essential to changing behavior."

"Complaints that remain open for months, and even years, become a proverbial Sword of Damocles, hanging over an officer's head, that prevents their advancement and undermines the morale of fellow officers," the report, released Monday, says, evoking a Greek parable. "The failure to timely resolve complaints defeats the purpose of a progressive, corrective action disciplinary system. The lack of progress is even more concerning because MPD leadership has long been aware of these deficiencies."

As of June 10, Internal Affairs counted 87 cases as part of its historical backlog, defined as more than two years old. Of those, 55 remain in supervisory review and another 21 remained on the chief's desk, according to data presented to the city's police oversight board Monday night.

"We're exploring every avenue we have to get those cases out of queue," Lily Hastings, Internal Affairs senior project manager, told the 13-member body amid questions about ELEFA's findings.

The evaluator's fourth semiannual report, covering a review period from Oct. 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, is the first progress report to be released since police Chief Brian O'Hara resigned under pressure last month.

Without using his name, it specifically calls out his role in delaying the already sluggish accountability process.

As chief, O'Hara had the final say at the end of a misconduct investigation. He was expected to issue determination letters within 30 days of receiving a case. But, on average, he took closer to four months to make those decisions, the report says.

ELEFA also noted that the chief's review process lacked "structural independence," because the same Internal Affairs staff who conducted the investigation also participated in discussions about the officer's potential discipline - and even drafted the memo.

O'Hara's attorney, Doug Kelley, declined to comment.

Although MPD leadership provided a plan to address chronic issues in the Internal Affairs unit, the report notes that they have not set any deadlines to meet its goal of eliminating the backlog by the end of 2026.

In a joint interview, city officials acknowledged the challenges highlighted in the report and emphasized that changes are already being made. Ganesha Martin, MPD's civilian bureau chief of constitutional policing, said she has asked ELEFA to conduct an independent assessment of Internal Affairs to obtain a clearer picture of how the unit should be staffed. The city is also hiring an outside vendor to assist with supervisory reviews - one of the major bottlenecks in the investigatory process.

"We haven't just been standing still," Martin said, noting that the report points to "meaningful accomplishments, but also reminds us even when people work diligently and in good faith, we don't always meet the mark."

Martin described the city's initial timelines for specific reform metrics as "way too ambitious."

Days after O'Hara's departure, outside agencies who manage the consent decree told The Minnesota Star Tribune that he was actually a barrier to progress.

David Douglass, the court-appointed independent evaluator, said some of the criticisms made in prior reports related to managerial and communication lapses were directly attributable to the chief.

That came as a surprise to many in the community, who wondered aloud why the public was not made aware of this fact before O'Hara's formal nomination for a second term.

ELEFA sent a draft of their latest findings report to city leaders on May 11 - four days after Mayor Jacob Frey held a news conference asking City Council to reappoint O'Hara. At the time, Frey called O'Hara the "right leader for this particular moment in our city" and cautioned that removing him could "unravel" ongoing reform efforts.

At Monday night's Community Commission on Police Oversight meeting, Ward 7 commissioner Chris Baker questioned why Frey had chosen to move forward before seeing ELEFA's findings.

"Days earlier, we were told by the city that we need him to keep reform going. It felt like a 180 pivot," Baker said. "I'm frustrated and confused as to why we would do that without reading the damn report."

Internal Affairs became a revolving door during O'Hara's 3 1/2-year tenure. At least four lieutenants, four commanders, two deputy chiefs and one civilian bureau chief cycled through the embattled unit, according to a staffing analysis by The Minnesota Star Tribune.

On Monday, MPD terminated its contract with Bureau Chief Ayodele Famodu, a civilian attorney hired in May 2025 to oversee the unit.

When reached by a reporter Tuesday, Famodu said that she was not given a reason for her removal and only told that the three pending complaints against her would be dismissed. But she was never permitted to see copies of them.

"I have legal representation in the matter," Famodu told the Star Tribune in a statement. "Given and in spite of some extreme and significant challenges I encountered throughout my tenure at MPD, I am extremely proud of the work I was able to accomplish."

Although ELEFA's latest report is outwardly critical of Internal Affairs, it does not mention Famodu or her position.

A city spokesman confirmed that Famodu's last date of employment was Monday, but cited data privacy laws in declining to address the nature of her exit.

Her firing is part of a broader shakeup inside the department's front office since O'Hara's departure, which includes the recent ousting of a deputy chief.

Despite falling behind on a number of goals, ELEFA's latest assessment also points to several recent achievements: MPD personnel completed training on revised use-of-force policies, created and funded the department's first wellness director position, approved a slew of new policies and bolstered its peer support team, which assists officers in the aftermath of traumatic incidents.

Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette told the Star Tribune that he agreed with the report's mixed findings and the city would use that feedback to improve.

"I still have a lot of optimism and hope for where we're going," he said, underscoring that the reform process is complex and will take many years. "The foundation is strong for what we want to accomplish."

ELEFA also noted that its review did not occur during ideal circumstances. The federal government's Operation Metro Surge shifted police resources for roughly 12 weeks as immigration agents flooded local streets.

"It was a severe, unanticipated disruption of the implementation process," the report says, adding that city and MPD staff have "demonstrated genuine and sustained commitment to implementing the agreement despite these challenges."

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