Minneapolis City Council rejects Frey’s police chief nominee

Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Bill Peterson will not be the city’s next police chief after the city council voted down his confirmation on Thursday.

The Details

The council voted 8-5 against Peterson, who was set to become the 60th police chief for the Minneapolis Police Department.

Despite strong community support, some opponents of Peterson, including council members, felt an outside candidate was needed for the chief role.

Opponents also argued that Peterson’s decades within the MPD should be a disqualifier, citing the department’s history of miscounts and lack of trust in the community.

Throughout, Peterson stood firm — despite saying when he accepted the interim role that he had no interest in the permanent position — saying his decades of service within the MPD are why he’s best for the job.

Peterson spoke with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS last week, saying, “I believe an internal candidate has a jumpstart as opposed to an external chief that’s got to come in, get to know the people, get to know the problems, and all of the other things that come with being a community member in the city of Minneapolis, so I’ve been immersed in it for 31 years, and I believe that I’m ahead of the game.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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