Minneapolis Civil Rights Department Director Imani Jaafar resigns

Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights Director Imani Jaafar has resigned from the department after occupying the interim role for just over four months.

Besides serving as the interim director, Jaafar was the director of the Office of Police Conduct Review, which investigates allegations of police misconduct, since 2015. By leaving the department, she is also vacating that role. Jaafar could not immediately be reached for comment. The reason for her departure was not made public.

"Imani Jaafar has been a consistent and excellent leader within the Civil Rights Department and the Office of Police Conduct Review," Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement Thursday. "Throughout her tenure, Ms. Jaafar has upheld an unflinching commitment to transparency and accountability on behalf of the people of Minneapolis."

Jaafar was designated interim director of the department in May, following the resignation of the previous interim director Frank Reed, who took on the role when former director Velma Korbel resigned last fall.

At the city executive committee meeting approving Jaafar's designation, Council Member Cam Gordon raised concern about the Department of Civil Rights' capacity, given recent vacancies.

"We lost the director and now we've lost the first interim director and now we're lifting up a division head to become the director," Gordon said. "There's going to be gaps right now in the department and I'm concerned about that and how we're going to keep up."

Frey said the search for her permanent replacement is underway and that the city will share more information once it's available.

Christina Saint Louis • 612-673-4668