MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker will lead the city’s Fire Department in an interim role following the retirement this week of Chief Bryan Tyner, the city announced Monday.
Rucker first joined the department in 1999, and she had most recently been serving as the department’s public information officer.
Her previous roles include serving as a fire captain, battalion chief, and deputy chief. Mayor Jacob Frey selected Rucker to fill the interim position during a nationwide search for a permanent chief, and he said in the announcement he’s confident in Rucker taking the helm.
“She’s a steady, experienced leader who understands what it takes to keep Minneapolis safe, support our firefighters, and move the department forward,” Frey said.
Tyner retires this week after a 30-year career with the department, which includes five years as chief. The north Minneapolis native will be taking over as executive director of the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, a century-old, Black-led organization that provides social services, educational programs and more in north Minneapolis.
Rucker will be the department’s second-ever woman fire chief and the first Black woman to lead the department.
Rucker did not provide interviews with the media on Monday following the announcement, but she said in a statement she’s “honored by the trust placed in me by [Office of Community Safety] Commissioner [Todd] Barnette, Mayor Frey and the city of Minneapolis.”
“I am committed to providing steady leadership and to supporting our firefighters, to ensure we continue to deliver the highest level of service to the community and to maintain the strong relationships this department and Chief Tyner have built with our community and stakeholders,” Rucker said.
So far there are “several highly qualified” internal candidates expected to apply to be the new permanent chief while the city also takes applications from elsewhere in the country.
A new chief is expected to be selected sometime in the spring, pending approval from the Minneapolis City Council, spokesman Brian Feintech said.
Rucker will return to her assistant chief role after a new permanent chief is selected.
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