Inexcusable ICE tactics in Minneapolis
By: Brian O'Hara
Your Turn
Guest columnist
..... Nearly two centuries ago, Sir Robert Peel articulated nine principles of policing that remain as relevant today [01/31/2026] as ever. The legitimacy of policing depends not or force, but on pubic consent. Police authority, he argued, flows from trust, and is earned through restraints, fairness and professionalism. when public consent erodes, no amount of enforcement can resort order.
..... We are a nation governed by laws, and those laws must be respected. But the rule of law does not sustain itself through authority alone. It depends on respect for civil rights, professional standards and leadership committed to ensuring that enforcement practices themselves do not cause harm.
..... In recent weeks, three people have been shot in Minneapolis during immigration enforcement operations, including the fatal shootings of two American citizens. Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Communities have been shaken by aggressive immigration enforcement actions that are profoundly damaging in practice.
..... When enforcement drifts form professionalism - when standards are lowered, training is insufficient and accountability is absent - the result is not public order. It is public fear. And when fear eclipses trust, public safety suffers.
.... I became the Minneapolis police chief after the murder of George Floyd with a mandate to reduce serious crime while rebuilding public trust. Police staffing was decimated as crime soared. The resilient cops who remained endured intense scrutiny and worked under challenging conditions.
..... The work to reform and rebuild the Minneapolis Police Department into an agency we can all be proud of has been difficult, deliberate and ongoing, but it is producing real results. We are proving something important; Professional, accountable policing does not weaken crime fighting; it strengthens it.
..... Since then, I have been deeply impressed by the relentless dedication and commitment of members of the MPD, as they continuously strive to be the best in the profession. their efforts have resulted in meaningful progress against violent crime and rebuilding the ranks while maintaining a disciplined commitment to professional standards.
..... That progress did not come from shortcuts, lowered expectations or per formative enforcement. It came from clear direction, rigorous training, supervision that enforces accountability, and officers who understand that legitimacy and effectiveness are inseparable. Crime reduction achieved at the expense of legitimacy is temporary; crime reduction rooted in trust is enduring.
..... That is why the current national moment is so concerning.
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Across the country, immigration enforcement activity has expanded rapidly. Speed and scale may be politically appealing, but when they come at the expense of professionalism, sufficient training and perceptions of legitimacy, public trust plummets/ Make no mistake: What we're seeing today [01/30/2026] risks creating a culture inside immigration enforcement that will take years to undo, and one that undermines the very goals that enforcement is meant to achieve.
..... We have seen the consequences. In Minnesota, a naturalized U.S. citizen and a grandfather was taken form his home in the middle of winter and removed outdoors in friezing temperatures wearing only his underwear and a blanket. This man was stripped of his dignity in front of his family and in full view of the public. Whatever legal justification may be asserted, that treatment is dehumanizing and inexcusable. it is not how police in the United States are trained to treat people. It is not consistent with constitutional policing. And it is certainly not how trust is earned.
..... Moments like this mater because they are not isolated. They signal a broader erosion of professional norms. Rap[id hiring, lowered standards, inadequate preparation and insufficient accountability may serve short-term, per formative goals, but they produce long-term harm - both to the communities affected and to the legitimacy of our law enforcement profession.
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Police leaders understand that authority without legitimacy is insufficient to fight crime effectively. when people believe enforcement is arbitrary or indifferent to human dignity, they disengage. they hesitate to call for help, share information with police or cooperate with investigations. They fear the var institutions meant to protect them.
..... Local police departments are then left to manage the downstream consequences; traumatized communities, volatile protest and officers placed in the impossible position of mediating conflicts they did not cerate.
..... The public is inundated with countless stories and videos from these incidents. this causes many to lose faith in the system and to no longer view what is happening as legitimate law enforcement.
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This is not sustainable, and it is not effective crime control.
..... Sir Robert Peel understood that the true power of policing lies not in force, but in public consent - earned through restraint, fairness and professionalism. that principle is not outdated. It is urgent.
..... The choice is not between enforcing immigration law and respecting civil liberties. The choice is whether wear all willing to demand that those who lead in law enforcement do so with the discretion, humanity and integrity that effective policing in a democratic society demands.
..... Brian A. O'Hara assumed one of the toughest jobs in policing, as the first Minneapolis police chief appointed after George Floyd's death in 2020. A former Newark, New Jersey public safety director and deputy mayor, he is a nationally recognized leader for driving reform efforts under consent decrees while reducing crime, rebuilding trust and shaping the future of policing.