Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau resigned from her post Friday at the request of the city's mayor, Betsy Hodges.
The Minneapolis Police Department has come under heavy criticism after an officer fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman, Justine Damond, who called 911 to report a suspected crime near her home. Though the officers involved were wearing body cameras, they were turned off at the time of Damond's death.
Hodges said in a statement it is "clear [Harteau] has lost the confidence of the people of Minneapolis" after multiple high-profile cases of police violence in Minnesota's Twin Cities since 2015, including the death of black motorist Philando Castile at the hands of an officer from another local police department.
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"Last Saturday's tragedy, as well as some other incidents, have caused me to engage in deep reflection," said Harteau. "The recent incidents do not reflect the training and procedures we've developed as a department. I've decided I am willing to step aside to let a fresh set of leadership eyes see what more can be done for the MPD to be the very best it can be."
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