MIAMI – Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor, who flashed her badge and asked to be allow go throughout a traffic end, has resigned.
“Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has requested and gained the resignation of Police Chief Mary O’Connor, pursuing the completion of an Inside Affairs investigation into a recent website traffic prevent involving O’Connor,” in accordance to a statement from the mayor’s place of work.
O’Connor was place on administrative go away immediately after human body digital camera footage taken from a targeted visitors halt past thirty day period discovered she informed a sheriff’s deputy she was “hoping that you will just permit us go tonight” and confirmed her badge, CNN has documented.
O’Connor was a passenger in a golfing cart that was pulled in excess of for driving on a road with no a license plate tag, according to footage of the November 12 incident from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Business office.
As the deputy described why the few was stopped, O’Connor asked if the deputy’s system digital camera was running and then identified herself as the Tampa law enforcement main.
“I’m hoping that you are going to just permit us go tonight,” O’Connor mentioned prior to demonstrating her badge to the deputy.
O’Connor apologized to the deputy and then gave him her organization card.
“If you ever have to have just about anything, connect with me. Significantly,” O’Connor stated.
She and the deputy thanked each and every other for their company, and the couple was allowed to leave.
The mayor admonished O’Connor’s actions in a statement produced Monday.
“The Tampa Law enforcement Office has a code of carry out that incorporates superior expectations for ethical and qualified conduct that use to each member of our law enforcement drive. As the Chief of Police, you are not only to abide by and enforce those people expectations but to also lead by illustration. That plainly did not take place in this case,” Castor mentioned.
“It is unacceptable for any public personnel, and in particular the city’s best regulation enforcement chief, to inquire for distinctive therapy for the reason that of their situation.”
The mayor recognized O’Connor’s contributions as police chief, which include “lowering violent gun criminal offense, proactively participating with our local community and concentrating on officer wellness,” Castor stated.
“But these accomplishments pale in comparison to the precedence I position on integrity,” she claimed.
In a Monday resignation letter, O’Connor wrote she “would never ever want my individual oversight to stand in the way of the progress I have manufactured in mending relationships amongst the law enforcement department and the neighborhood, so for that explanation, I am resigning.”
The mayor expects the nationwide research and employing process for a new Tampa police main to acquire a number of months.
Assistant Police Main Lee Bercaw will serve as interim law enforcement main.
