The police chief of Tampa, Florida, has resigned following an incident last month in which she flashed her badge to get favorable treatment during a traffic stop while riding in a golf cart.
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“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 in a statement. Chief Mary O’Connor stepped down upon the mayor’s request following an internal review, according to Castor.
The incident took place on the evening of Nov. 12, when O’Connor and her spouse were riding in a golf cart on streets of Oldsmar, Florida, near Tampa. A Pinellas County Sheriff deputy pulled the couple over because the golf cart did not have a license plate. The deputy’s body camera captured footage of the interaction, which was posted by the Tampa Police Department.
O’Connor, sitting in the passenger seat, asks the deputy “Are you recording,” and then tells him “I’m the police chief in Tampa … I’m hoping that you’ll just let us go tonight,” as she shows him her badge. “You looked familiar,” the deputy responds, before letting the couple go.
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