A Minneapolis police officer has been relieved of duty amid allegations that he left an emergency call to have sexual relations with a civilian he met on a dating app.
Minneapolis police officer suspended while department investigates alleged on-duty hookup
The six-year veteran is accused of exchanging erotic texts and arranging a meetup for oral sex during his overnight shift.
October 19, 2023 at 2:02PM
The patrol officer of six years remains on paid leave pending an investigation, according to four sources with knowledge of the case. The Star Tribune is choosing not to identify the officer, as he has not been formally disciplined.
Text messages submitted to the Police Department's Internal Affairs — and obtained by the Star Tribune — reveal a conversation between the 28-year-old Fifth Precinct officer and an unidentified person during a recent overnight shift; the exact date is unknown. He shares an apparent photo of his penis and inquires whether the civilian would be interested in providing oral sex to "a cop in uniform."
The civilian agrees and sends him their location before requesting a photo of his face. The officer — wearing what appears to be his uniform — then takes a selfie from his squad car. The grated partition behind him is clearly visible.
When the civilian responds with a suggestive photo of their own, the officer writes, "Okay, give me a sec, let's see if I can leave this call." Ten minutes later, the officer writes that he has arrived at their apartment and is provided instructions to be buzzed upstairs.
Time stamps indicate that the messages were exchanged over a 2½-hour period during the normal working hours of his shift. The overnight shift, known as "dogwatch," typically runs until about 6:30 a.m.
The alleged conduct raises serious questions about whether the officer left an emergency call while on duty in order to receive sexual favors — and misused city resources to do so.
He was escorted off city property after reporting for work on Oct. 7.
A police spokesman declined to confirm key details about this case, including the officer's suspension.
"The [Minneapolis Police Department] treats all allegations of misconduct seriously, and Chief [Brian] O'Hara has ordered an investigation into the matter," a department statement reads.
"The Minnesota Data Practices Act is extremely restrictive and precludes comment on matters of great public interest without creating significant legal risk. As information is deemed public under state law, the Department is committed to sharing that information."
The suspension comes one week after the department launched an investigation into a female officer for operating a private OnlyFans account under a pseudonym, where she posted nude photos and pornographic videos — often alongside her husband — for paid subscribers. The erotic content appeared to violate the department's off-duty work policy, which forbids taking jobs in "adult entertainment."
Sources say department administration has been aware of the account for nearly a year and believed it was inappropriate to comment on her private life, as long as it didn't affect her job performance. She is a Fourth Precinct officer who has won several commendations for, among other things, providing lifesaving medical care to gunshot victims.
The day after a TV news report aired exposing her as an OnlyFans model, the officer raised her prices by $20 a month.
The account has since been deactivated.
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