Florida Police Chief Resigns After Flashing Badge to Get Out of Traffic Stop

A police chief in Florida has now resigned after being seen in body camera footage flashing her badge to get out of a traffic stop.

The footage in question, per a report from the Associated Press over the weekend, was made public by the Tampa Police Department and shows Chief Mary O’Connor and her husband being stopped in a golf cart by a Pinellas County deputy. At the time, O’Connor’s husband was driving the cart, which did not have a tag.

“I’m the police chief in Tampa,. … I’m hoping that you’ll just let us go tonight,” O’Connor is seen telling the deputy. Later in the clip, O’Connor adds to the deputy, “If you ever need anything, call me. Seriously.”

The incident occurred on Nov. 12, with O’Connor addressing the ensuing criticism in a statement shared at the top of this month.

“In hindsight, I realize how my handling of this matter could be viewed as inappropriate, but that was certainly not my intent,” O’Connor claimed at the time. She was later placed on administrative leave, with the Tampa Police Department saying on Friday that its Professional Standards Bureau was in the process of reviewing the incident.

By Monday, O’Connor had been confirmed to have resigned from her position. Per a press release, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor had “requested and received” O’Connor’s resignation in response to an Internal Affairs investigation.

“It is with great sadness that I submit my resignation from the position of Chief of Police effective immediately,” O’Connor said in her resignation letter, available here.

In a separate statement, Mayor Castor said O’Connor’s behavior was “especially disappointing” due to her not having “lead by example” as expected.

“It is unacceptable for any public employee, and especially the city’s top law enforcement leader, to ask for special treatment because of their position,” Castor said Monday. “Public trust in Tampa’s police department is paramount to our success as a city and community.”