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Tampa police chief Mary O’Connor resigns after video shows her flashing badge during traffic stop
Fox News ^ | 12/4/22 | Greg Norman

Posted on 12/05/2022 12:55:18 PM PST by Impala64ssa

O’Connor tells Mayor Jane Castor she made a ‘personal mistake’

The Tampa Police Department chief who was caught on video flashing her badge during a traffic stop in hopes a deputy would "let her go" has resigned from her position Monday, telling the Florida city’s mayor she made a "personal mistake."

Mary O’Connor and her husband were pulled over by a Pinellas County deputy for driving a golf cart without a license plate tag on Nov. 12. O’Connor was sworn into the position in March after serving the department 22 years and was placed on administrative leave Saturday.

"I would never want my personal mistake to stand in the way of the progress I have made in mending relationships between the police department and the community, so for that reason, I am resigning," O’Connor wrote in a letter penned to Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

"Whether I am wearing a badge or not, my commitment to service and oath of office will remain a part of my everyday life," she added. "I plan to use this time to reflect and spend time with my family and children before moving on to any future endeavors."

Castor tweeted that she had asked for O’Connor’s resignation and now "Assistant Chief Lee Bercaw will serve as acting chief while a comprehensive national search is conducted" for her replacement.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: doyouknowwhoiam; floridawoman; karen; tampa
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She ended her career over a stupid license plate violation, trying to use her position to weasel her way out of what would be at most a $150 fine, chump change on a police chief's salary.

"a comprehensive national search is conducted" for her replacement."
In other words, competent capable straight White men need not apply.
1 posted on 12/05/2022 12:55:18 PM PST by Impala64ssa
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To: Impala64ssa

We needn’t weep for her....she’s sure to get a nice juicy pension.


2 posted on 12/05/2022 12:57:32 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (I Miss Jimmy Carter)
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To: Impala64ssa

White Police Chiefs do it too, all the time.


3 posted on 12/05/2022 12:58:07 PM PST by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie. )
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To: Impala64ssa

She is not a member of the “ boys “ club


4 posted on 12/05/2022 12:58:40 PM PST by South Dakota (Patriotism is the new terrorism )
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To: Impala64ssa

Another, “Do you know who I am?” career ender.


5 posted on 12/05/2022 12:58:55 PM PST by Round Earther
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To: Impala64ssa

6 posted on 12/05/2022 12:59:13 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Impala64ssa

I thought all cops did this. I don’t care she flashed her badge.


7 posted on 12/05/2022 12:59:36 PM PST by EEGator
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To: Impala64ssa

I heard she just plain ‘ol got terminated


8 posted on 12/05/2022 1:00:50 PM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave)
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To: Impala64ssa

You don’t ask the cop, who is wearing a camera, to not ticket you. You accept the ticket politely.

You then take the ticket to a friend/lackey in your department, and have them remove it from the system.

C’mon people! Haven’t you learned anything working for government for 2 decades????


9 posted on 12/05/2022 1:02:31 PM PST by PGR88
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To: Impala64ssa

I married into a family of police and “professional courtesy” is the term police use to excuse this kind of evil special treatment. The laws do not apply to police like they do for the rest of us.

Another aspect of police culture that ticks me off is police routinely aspiring to be like the military and calling Americans “citizens” and thereby “othering” them from the police. These jerks in blue are citizens as well.


10 posted on 12/05/2022 1:02:33 PM PST by WMarshal (Neocons and leftards are the same species of vicious rat.)
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To: Impala64ssa

Isn’t this what all cops do?


11 posted on 12/05/2022 1:02:48 PM PST by bigdaddy45
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To: Impala64ssa

A golf cart?


12 posted on 12/05/2022 1:06:03 PM PST by PLMerite ("They say that we were Cold Warriors. Yes, and a bloody good show, too." - Robert Conquest )
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To: WMarshal

The police aren’t the brightest.


13 posted on 12/05/2022 1:06:45 PM PST by TTFX
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To: Impala64ssa

Could be some City vs. County friction there. Her action in resigning seems a bit draconian.


14 posted on 12/05/2022 1:10:48 PM PST by Fester Chugabrew (/s)
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To: PGR88

Exactly. How dumb.


15 posted on 12/05/2022 1:11:42 PM PST by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016 democratic )
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To: Impala64ssa
How much of a dumbass can you be?

Imagine if instead of flashing her badge, she'd have given a picture perfect example of how any citizen should respond when pulled off. Keep your hands visible, be polite to the officer, and then go on your way. Say that the laws apply to everyone, and that she'll take the fine or points imposed that she deserves. Do an interview when the press comes calling and just be bluntly honest about it. She'd probably have been on a lot of the news channels as a positive example.

Now, she just looks like a hypocritical chump, and lost her job to boot.

16 posted on 12/05/2022 1:12:11 PM PST by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: EEGator
I thought all cops did this. I don’t care she flashed her badge.

It's always bugged me, and they often give those little courtesy cards to friends, or women they're dating, etc.. Just bogus.

17 posted on 12/05/2022 1:13:45 PM PST by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: WMarshal

It goes further.
In many (Most?) cops minds there are only two classes, cops and perps.
If you are not a cop you are a perp, if you have not been arrested you just have not been caught yet.


18 posted on 12/05/2022 1:16:06 PM PST by Ex gun maker. (Free thinking is now a radical concept, I will not be assimilated by PC or EV groupthink!)
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To: South Dakota

Are you sure? Have you seen her predecessor?


19 posted on 12/05/2022 1:17:18 PM PST by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

I get it, but I just accepted it long ago.

Hot chicks get off too.


20 posted on 12/05/2022 1:21:14 PM PST by EEGator
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