Ernest Morales III out as chief of Metro Transit PD amid internal investigation

Ernest Morales III is no longer the chief of the Metro Transit Police Department, the Metropolitan Council said in a brief statement Monday.

Morales had been on paid administrative leave since mid-August after an internal investigation into his conduct was launched following multiple complaints from employees.

The statement from the Met Council, which oversees Metro Transit and the Police Department, did not specify the manner in which Morales left his position, nor did it clarify the status of the internal investigation or its findings.

Terri Dresen, a spokesperson for the Met Council, could not provide additional information, citing data privacy laws.

Capt. Joseph Dotseth will take over as interim chief effective Monday, Dresen said.

The internal investigation began this spring over accusations that Morales created a hostile work environment and negative interactions with women, two sources with knowledge of the investigation previously told the Minnesota Star Tribune. That included allegations of bullying and intimidation.

Three formal complaints were filed against him, documents obtained through a public-records request indicated.

The Met Council hired the Minneapolis law firm Nilan Johnson Lewis to conduct a joint investigation.

Morales became the Metro Transit Police Department’s ninth chief early in 2023 amid rising crime following the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency reported falling crime early in 2024, but it still struggled to fill vacant police officer and community service officer positions during his tenure.

He previously served as deputy police commissioner in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and spent 30 years with the New York Police Department, where he served as deputy inspector and commanding officer in the Transit Bureau. He also served 22 years in the U.S. Navy Reserve.