Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor was forced to resign by Mayor Jane Castor after a traffic stop video went viral. O’Connor was the passenger in a golf cart that her husband was driving at around 7:30 pm on November 12th of this year. They were in the golf cart out on what appeared to be an open road when the traffic stop happened. No other cars appeared to be around. They were pulled due to the cart not having any license plates. Later in the body camera footage, the officer said that there had been an issue with people driving the carts illegally in the area.
Mary O’Connor decided to interrupt the deputy who pulled her and her husband over by announcing that she is the Police Chief of Tampa. O’Connor also asked if the deputy’s body camera was on. She followed that statement by requesting that the deputy just let them go. The deputy complied and let them go. O’Connor shook the deputy’s hand and gave him one of her business cards from the wallet with her badge on it. The exchange between the deputy and the now former Police Chief was reviewed sometime after it happened. It was determined that O’Connor abused her position by requesting the deputy let them go from the traffic stop.
SOURCES:
Tampa police chief resigns after dodging traffic ticket – ABC News
Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor resigns after traffic stop incident : NPR
Florida police chief resigns after video shows her flashing badge during traffic stop | Florida | The Guardian
Tampa police chief quits after trying to avoid golf cart ticket – BBC News
Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor resigns after flashing badge and asking to be let go from a traffic stop | CNN
Tampa police Chief Mary O’Connor resigns amid traffic stop controversy
