| Term | Approx. Years | Chief of Police | Departure | Notable/Related Events |
| 1867 | 1 | H. H. Brackett | | |
| 1868 | 1 | Dan A. Day | | |
| 1869 | 1 | H. H. Brackett and Stuart Seeley | | |
| 1870 | 1 | Dan A. Day | | |
| 1871 | 1 | C. L. Peck | | Shot by an opium user[4] |
| 1872 | 1 | George C. Kent | | |
| 1873 | 1 | R. W. Hanson and Michael Hoy | | |
| 1874–1875 | 2 | John H. Noble | | |
| 1876–1883 | 8 | A. S. Munger | | |
| 1883 | 1 | A. C. Berry | | |
| 1884–1885 | 2 | John West | | |
| 1886 | 1 | Colonel Charles R. Hill | | |
| 1887–1890 | 3 | Board of Police Commissioners | Abolished | |
| 1890 | 1 | Major R. R. Henderson | | |
| 1894–1898 | 5 | Vernon M. Smith | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924; Minneapolis City Directories | |
| 1899–1900 | 1 | James G. Doyle | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1901–1902 | 1 | Fred W. Ames | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1902 | 1 | E. F. Waite, to fill vacancy per Ames' resignation | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1903–1904 | 1 | Ed. J. Conroy | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1905–1906 | 1 | James G. Doyle | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1907–1910 | 1 | Colonel Frank T. Corriston[5] |
Resigned, "laxity" | |
| 1911–1912 | 2 | Michael Mealey | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1913–1916 | 4 | Oscar Martinson | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1917–1918 | 2 | Lewis Harthill | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1919–1921 | 3 | J.F. Walker | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1921–1923 | 2 | A.C. Jensen | Reference: Minutes of the City Council, 1894–1924 | |
| 1925–1927 | 3 | Frank W. Brunskill[6] |
| Tong wars |
| 1928–1930 | 2 | Harry C. Lindholm[citation needed] | |
| 1931–33 | 3 | William Meehan | | Racial integration[7] |
| 1934–35 | 2 | Mike Johannes | | Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934[8] |
| 1936–40 | 5 | Frank Forestal[9] |
| |
| 1941 | 1 | Edward B. Hansen (resigned)[10] |
Resigned, mobs | |
| 1942 | 1 | Joe M. Jonas | | |
| 1943–44 | 2 | Elmer F. Hillner | | |
| 1945 | 1 | Ed Ryan | | |
| 1946–48 | 3 | G.W. MacLean | | |
| 1949–55 | 7 | Thomas R. Jones | | |
| 1956 | 1 | E.I. Walling | | |
| 1957–59 | 3 | Milton E. Winslow | | |
| 1960 | 1 | Kenneth Moore | | |
| 1961–63 | 3 | E.I. Walling | | |
| 1964–68 | 4 | Calvin F. Hawkinson | Resigned to Plymouth P.D. (1968-1978)[11] |
Established Community Relations Unit |
| 1968 | 1 | Donald Dwyer | | American Indian Movement[12] |
| 1969–70 | 2 | B.J. Lutz | | |
| 1971–73 | 3 | Gordon Johnson | | Overweight police[13] |
| 1974 | 1 | Jack McCarthy | | |
| 1974–75 | 2 | John R. Jensen | | |
| 1976–77 | 2 | Carl E. Johnson | | |
| 1978–79 | 2 | Elmer C. Nordlund | Resigned, scandal[14] |
Teenage prostitution[15] |
| 1979 | 1 | Donald Dwyer | Temporary | |
| 1980–1988 | 8 | Anthony V. Bouza[16] |
Retired | |
| 1989–1994 | 5 | John Laux[17] |
Resigned to Bloomington Police Department | Murder of Jerry Haaf,[18]
KARE 11 media complaint[19] |
| 1994–2002 | 9 | Robert Olson[20] |
Dismissed, contract not renewed | Federal mediation[21] |
| 2002–2006 | 5 | William McManus | Resigned to San Antonio Police Department[22] |
|
| 2006–2007 (sworn)- 2012 | 7 | Tim Dolan[23] |
| I-35W Mississippi River Bridge |
| 2012–2017 | 5 | Janeé Harteau | submitted resignation in the aftermath of the killing of Justine Damond[24] | First female, openly gay, and Native American chief in city history[24] |
| 2017–2022 | 5 | Medaria Arradondo[25] |
Announced retirement in December 2021, effective January 15, 2022.[26] | First black police chief.[27]
Officer body camera usage made mandatory.[28]
Murder of George Floyd and subsequent protest movement. |
| 2022 |
<1 |
Amelia Huffman (interim)[29] |
|
Interim Chief of Police[29] |
| 2022–present |
Incumbent |
Brian O'Hara[30] |
|
|