Friday, April 12All That Matters

Tampa PD Chief caught on video getting pulled over, asking if camera is on, flashing badge and mentioning she’s Chief, and saying “I’m hoping you’ll just let us go”

by ArnoldChase


Tampa PD Chief caught on video getting pulled over, asking if camera is on, flashing badge and mentioning she’s Chief, and saying “I’m hoping you’ll just let us go”




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36 Comments

  • junkmm3

    Eh. All for police accountability but if this copper actually handed someone a ticket for taking a hop in a golf cart without a license plate I’d be pissed. Assuming they weren’t obviously drunk they should get a warning and sent on their way, which is exactly what happened.

    Reply
  • MissDiem

    Another day, another instinctively corrupt police chief.

    They’ve really turned a once respectable profession into trash.

    She’s already got her badge out before the interaction starts. She has the presence of mind to ask about camera first, but then pushes ahead and commits an abuse of her office regardless.

    Very dicey spot for the police officer. It’s possible this is a scenario that ends in a warning nine times of ten anyway, but now if he does that, it looks like he might be complicit. It’s almost a no-win situation for him, and it’s all initiated by the corrupt police chief of Tampa.

    If I were him, and if I had the presence of mind, I might say that her position is of no mind, I’d reject the card and offer, and I might explain that I’m treating them like I treat everyone else by issuing a warning. That would at least prevent retribution but at the same time make it clear that and abuse of influence and implied bribery might not be the reason for the warning.

    Reply
  • RoyalPossum

    If it is that natural for the police chief, wonder what previous corrupt action she done. She must have done some favors for the mayor that hire her.

    Reply
  • DoinDonuts

    “Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughter’s wedding day.”

    Reply
  • Envoyager

    #NO ONE…

    in Tampa saw this coming as she continuously repeated that everyone deserves a second chance. That’s basically the line she ran on during her campaign.

    Reply
  • Legend_of_dirty_Joe

    Full Story Per Fox 13

    ​

    TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa’s top cop has been placed on administrative leave after body camera footage revealed her showing her badge during a traffic stop with her husband and asking a Pinellas deputy to “let us go.”The city released the following statement Friday afternoon: “Police Chief Mary O’Connor has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into a recent traffic stop. Assistant Chief Lee Bercaw is serving as acting Chief.”According to investigators, Mary O’Connor and her husband were riding in a golf cart without a license plate outside a residential area in Oldsmar on November 12. They were outside of a golf cart-friendly neighborhood when they were stopped. The deputy’s body camera was rolling during the encounter.Body camera video: Tampa police chief, husband pulled over in golf cart without license plateA Pinellas County deputy pulled over Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor and her husband back on November 12. They were riding in a golf cart without a license plate outside a residential area in Oldsmar, the police department said. Body camera video from the incident was released by TPD.In the video, the deputy explains to the couple that they were pulled over for driving an unlicensed vehicle without the tag on it on the roadway. O’Connor is also seen showing her badge.”Is your camera on?” she asked.”It is,” the deputy said.”I’m the police chief in Tampa,” O’Connor stated.”Oh, how are you doing?””I’m doing good…I’m hoping you’ll just let us go tonight.”Moments later, the deputy is heard saying, “Alright, well, take care and it was nice meeting you.” Then O’Connor handed the deputy her business card.”If you need anything call me,” she said.Mayor Castor, who appointed O’Connor earlier this year, said Thursday the behavior is unacceptable and that the chief would face disciplinary action. O’Connor released a statement after the video was released, saying her actions were a result of “poor judgment” to have been driving on a public road without appropriate tags. She said she realized her handling of it could be viewed as inappropriate.”It was poor judgment on our part to be driving a golf cart on a public roadway without the appropriate tags. This was the first time we had exited the golf-cart friendly community in which we own property with this vehicle, prompting the need for a license plate,” O’Connor said. “In hindsight, I realize how my handling of this matter could be viewed as inappropriate, but that was certainly not my intent. I knew my conversation was on video, and my motive was not to put the deputy in an uncomfortable position. I have personally called the Pinellas County Sheriff offering to pay for any potential citation.”She added, “I have expressed great remorse to the mayor, and I apologize to the residents of Tampa who have a reasonable expectation of better judgment from their chief of police. As someone who has dealt with, taken ownership of and grown from my past mistakes, I know that no one is above the law, including me.”Former TPD Chief Brian Dugan told FOX 13, “As chief of police you’re held to a higher standard. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.” Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera stated, “What I have seen so far is very disappointing and distressing. This demands transparency with the Administration on all that happened and accountability if the investigation makes adverse findings. The detailed investigation should be as expeditious as possible so we can have a prompt resolution and move forward. Our police officers and the city they serve and protect deserve nothing less.”City Councilman Bill Carlson told FOX 13 that O’Connor’s actions during the traffic stop were embarrassing for police officers who work hard and do the right thing. He added that he expects O’Connor to resign soon. “This mayor has so many problems right now besides this, I can’t imagine that she’s going to want to deal with this very long so I imagine that she’ll resign at some point,” Carlson stated. “But it’s ultimately up to the mayor to decide that.”Mary O’Connor’s career with TPDO’Connor was appointed Chief of Police this year by mayor and former TPD Chief Jane Castor. The two worked together at TPD for more than a decade. Since her appointment, controversy was built up among city councilors and the public leading up to the council’s vote to approve the nomination.O’Connor’s past has also been called into question. In 1995, she was fired from the department after she was charged with punching a Hillsborough County Deputy during a DUI stop that involved her eventual husband.Mary O’Connor confirmed as new police chiefIn March, the Tampa City Council approved Mary O’Connor as the city’s top cop after 50 speakers voiced their opinions for and against O’Connor.PREVIOUS: ‘Honored and humbled’: Mary O’Connor sworn in as Tampa police chiefDuring her time with the police department, O’Connor dedicated the first 22 years of her career to serving Tampa and the people who call it home. She worked her way through the Tampa Police Department and retired as the Assistant Chief in 2016.MORE: ‘I love this job’: O’Connor marks 100th day as Tampa’s top copAfter, she spent the next five years sharing lessons learned with agencies across the country through her work with the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.”I knew from a young age that this was my calling,” O’Connor said after she was introduced as the next police chief in February. “I believe in this community and in this department. Together, we can do great things.”Councilman Carlson touch on O’Connor’s controversial past when FOX 13 reached out to him on Friday, He stated, “When we interviewed her, she said what happened in the past is in the past, and it won’t happen again, and so I’m surprised that something similar happened again because she promised us that it wouldn’t… Then asked for a favor, and at the end gave her business card and said if you need something, let me know seriously which implies special privilege for certain people and I don’t think that represents the hard-working men and women of our police force. Our police force is very honest, and hard-working. Our police force has mostly hard-working people who want to be respected, and this whole thing is not fair to them” 

    Reply
  • BroForceOne

    You’re in a fucking golf cart trying to get back into the senior community, was it really necessary to play the “I’m the Chief of Police so you let me go and I owe you a favor” trump card for a situation as stupid as that?

    Reply
  • Beard341

    I hate how they practically make this a fucking question on the police oral boards and yet when actually presented with this exact situation IRL, you get fucked for it. Bastards.

    Reply
  • AltairsBlade

    Chief should have shut their mouth then talked to the prosecutor later, like they do every other time them or one of their I’ll get busted.

    Reply
  • Spire_Prime

    I don’t know this person, but I feel like she was drunk. Brings one to think the driver may have had some drinks as well.

    Reply
  • pete1729

    Our sheriff got pulled over in his own county by a city pd officer. He presented a DL and his sheriff’s department ID. They wrote him a ticket anyway.

    He called the local TV networks and two of them showed up to do video stories about him going to the city hall and paying a fine. Priceless publicity about what a straight up guy he was.

    The city that pulled him over had it’s jail overflow pass to the county lockup revoked for some period of time, meaning they had to put any excess prisoners up at a hotel with guards. Very expensive.

    The sheriff was actually sort of cooked, but that didn’t come out til years later.

    Reply
  • clRCLE

    She’s obviously a Jedi and mind tricked him. “I’m hoping you’ll just let us go” and then he does! Like what! The force is real!

    Reply
  • takofire

    Realistically, how can we start actually holding police accountable for their actions? It seems even if they are caught and go through our justice system, the repercussions are never equal to normal civilians. I feel increasingly frustrated at the blatant corruption and double standards.

    Reply
  • dating_derp

    20 seconds after the cop starts talking to them is when she pulls that shit. Such a fucked up system.

    Edit: At the end, the police chief gives the deputy her card and says “You ever need anything, call me. Serious.”

    Reply
  • skovalen

    She should be fired for raising her position. Immediately. And she should be fired again for the card and sending a favor, wink wink.

    Reply
  • Jdubshack

    I’m confused, she was pulled over for being in a golf cart without a license? Are you guys fucking for real with this corrupt talk?

    Reply

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