"Barring a surprise, on Friday the Minneapolis City Council is expected to confirm veteran cop Janeé Harteau as the city's new police chief. A protégée of former chief Tim Dolan, Harteau would become the first woman to head the department.

After 25 years with the force, Harteau appears to be a good fit for the top job and is well-positioned to take on the department's stiffest challenges.

The 48-year-old Harteau, who is one-sixteenth Chippewa and a registered member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe, grew up in Duluth. She and her domestic partner, a sergeant in the department, have been together for 24 years and are raising a 13-year-old daughter.

On the job, Harteau has a reputation for being tough but fair, and for being upfront about her expectations. With her personal and professional background, she has the potential to bring an important combination of skills and sensitivities to a police force that has had problems with community and internal relations -- including numerous lawsuits and settlements for excessive force and discrimination."

Get the Story:
Editorial: New leadership for Minneapolis cops (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 11/29)

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Minneapolis' Janee Harteau breaking the mold as chief of police (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 11/28)