Tampa police chief resigns over traffic stop

SHOTLIST:RESTRICTION SUMMARY: MUST CREDIT PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICEPINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE - MUST CREDIT PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICEOldsmar, Florida - 12 November 20221. Bodycam footage of Deputy Larry Jacoby driving and approaching Mary O'Connor and husband Keith O'Connor, UPSOUND (English):HEADLINE TEXT: Tampa police chief resigns over traffic stop.DEPUTY JACOBY: "...somebody in a golf cart, no tag. Good evening." KEITH O'CONNOR: "How you doing?" ANNOTATION: The police chief in Tampa, Florida, has resigned after using her position to escape a ticket during a stop involving her golf cart driven by her husband.DEPUTY JACOBY: "Good. I'm Deputy Jacoby, Pinella County Sheriff's Office. Stopped you because your driving tag, or uh unregistered vehicle with no tags on it on the roadway." ANNOTATION: An internal affairs review found Mary O'Connor violated department policy during the Nov. 12 stop by a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy.KEITH O'CONNOR: "Yeah, we were, we went to the club, it was closed, so we went over and picked up some..."MARY O'CONNOR: "Is your camera on?" DEPUTY JACOBY: "It is." MARY O'CONNOR: "I'm the Police Chief in Tampa." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Oh, how are you doing?" MARY O'CONNOR: "I'm doing good." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Okay." MARY O'CONNOR: "I'm hoping that you just let us go tonight." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Oh, okay, yeah. I'll say, now that you say it, you look familiar, so..." MARY O'CONNOR: "Yeah, I'm sure I do." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Okay, so, alright folks well have a good night. You staying over here in East Lake Woodlands?"MARY O'CONNOR: "We live in East Lake Woodlands." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Ah, okay, alright. Well, it's nice to meet you. So, I'm Deputy Jacoby."ANNOTATION: Last week, O'Connor issued a statement apologizing for her conduct.MARY O'CONNOR: "Same here, my friend." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Alright." MARY O'CONNOR: "Take care of yourself."DEPUTY JACOBY: "All right. Take care." MARY O'CONNOR: "Sorry to bother you." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Alright. No worries. No worries. Like I say, we have a lot of problem with the golf carting around here. You know, everybody go..." KEITH O'CONNOR: "We don't normally come out." ANNOTATION: She said: "In hindsight, I realize how my handling of this matter could be viewed as inappropriate, but that was certainly not my intent."MARY O'CONNOR: "We never come out." KEITH O'CONNOR: "The club was closed so went to the Greek place to get some food." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Gotcha, okay. Alright, then. We'll take care and it was nice meeting you."KEITH O'CONNOR: "All right." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Oh, alright." MARY O'CONNOR: "If you ever need anything call me." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Okay." MARY O'CONNOR: "Serious." DEPUTY JACOBY: "All right. Appreciate that." MARY O'CONNOR: "Thank you." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Yes, ma'am. You're welcome." MARY O'CONNOR: "Thank you for your service. " DEPUTY JACOBY: "Thank you for yours." DEPUTY JACOBY: "Take care."KEITH O'CONNOR: "Thank you."DEPUTY JACOBY: "Have a good night, folks."STORYLINE:The police chief in Tampa, Florida, resigned Monday after using her position to escape a ticket during a traffic stop involving a golf cart driven by her husband.Mary O'Connor submitted her resignation after an internal affairs review found she violated police department policy during the Nov. 12 stop by a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy.During that stop — which was recorded on video by the deputy's body camera — O'Connor identified herself as the Tampa chief, flashed her badge and said "I'm hoping you will let us go tonight."The golf cart did not have a license tag, a requirement for when such vehicles are driven on public streets. O'Connor's husband, Keith, said they had just come from a restaurant and didn't usually drive the cart on streets.The internal review found O'Connor violated regulations on standards of conduct and "abuse of position or identification." "The Tampa Police Department has a code of conduct that includes high standards for ethical and professional behavior that apply to every member of our police force," Mayor Jane Castor said in a statement requesting the resignation. "As the Chief of Police, you are not only to abide by and enforce those standards but to also lead by example. That clearly did not happen in this case."Castor appointed Lee Bercaw, who was assistant chief, as acting chief while a nationwide search begins. O'Connor served in the post for nearly a year.Last week, O'Connor issued a statement apologizing for her conduct."In hindsight, I realize how my handling of this matter could be viewed as inappropriate, but that was certainly not my intent," she said.===========================================================Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.