Mayor Jacob Frey has nominated Interim MPD Chief Bill Peterson to take the permanent role of Chief of Police.
The City launched a national search for the next Minneapolis Police Chief earlier this summer, seeking a candidate who could advance critical reforms, strengthen community trust, recruit and retain a strong police workforce, and lead the department into its next chapter.
The search engaged residents, community leaders, law enforcement and public safety leaders, labor representatives, and other stakeholders through multiple community listening sessions. The City also engaged department employees through an anonymous survey to help identify the qualities and priorities sought in the next chief.
There was a mix of strong internal and external candidates who were reviewed and vetted based on community engagement feedback and the department’s desired qualities. The strongest candidates advanced to interviews with the two panels below:
Community Panel
- Adam Duininck, President and CEO, Minneapolis Downtown Council
- Andrea Jenkins, Former Minneapolis City Council President
- LaTonya Reeves, Chair, Community Commission on Police Oversight
- Catherine Shreves, Co-Chair, Plymouth Church Reimagining Community Safety Group
Public Safety & Law Enforcement Panel
- Sheriff Dawanna Witt, Hennepin County
- Chief Scott Boerboom, Minnetonka Police Department and President, Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association
- Jason Case, Retired Minneapolis Police Department Deputy Chief of Investigations
- Deputy Chief Tom Campbell, Minneapolis Police Department
- Christina Bogojevic, Minnesota State Patrol
- Sherral Schmidt, President, Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis
- Chief Booker T. Hodges, Bloomington Police Department and Local Representative of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
- Michael Harrison, Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, City of New Orleans
The finalists were then interviewed with Mayor Frey, Commissioner Barnette, and other City leaders, followed by the required background, nomination, and City Council confirmation processes.
Next steps
- Mayor Frey will formally submit the nomination to the Minneapolis City Council
- Interim Chief Peterson will coordinate with City staff to meet with members of the Minneapolis Police Department, City Council, and community leaders
- The City Council will schedule a public hearing and confirmation vote
- Interim Chief Peterson will continue to serve as Interim Chief pending confirmation
About Bill Peterson
Bill Peterson is a 30-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department. He has established a reputation for working hard to earn the trust and respect of officers across the department, City leaders, and community members.
Throughout his career, Peterson has helped lead the department’s response to major incidents and events, including the North Side tornado, the I-35W bridge collapse, periods of civil unrest and large-scale public safety operations such as the MLB All-Star Game and Super Bowl LII, and most recently – the mass shooting at 15 E Grant Street.
Peterson has served in leadership roles across several divisions of the department, including:
- Special Operations Division Patrol Unit
- Violent Crimes Investigations Division, Robbery Investigator
- Fourth Precinct Patrol
- Pre-Service Training
- Inspector of the First Precinct
While overseeing Pre-Service Training, Peterson managed the Police Academy and Field Training Officer Program and developed the department’s first department-wide Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program. He has also spent nearly two decades supervising, mentoring, and developing officers and future leaders across the department.
Over a three-year period, Peterson also worked with Minneapolis Property Services, Minneapolis City IT, and the RSP Architects team on the design and construction of a state-of-the-art facility for the First Precinct, the first new police precinct to open in approximately 25 years.