Who is Mary O'Connor? Police chief pulls rank on cop who stopped her for illegally driving golf cart on road
TAMPA, FLORIDA: A police chief of one of the biggest Florida cities have been placed on administrative leave for allegedly using her rank to get out of a traffic stop after being stopped for driving a golf cart on the road illegally. Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor and her husband Keith O'Connor were confronted by Deputy Larry Jacoby for driving a golf cart without a license on a public road in Pinellas County on November 12 at 7.30 pm.
During the encounter, bodycam footage shows chief O'Connor legit asking Deputy Jacoby, "Is your camera on?" When the deputy confirmed it was, O'Connor said, "I'm the police chief from Tampa... I'm hoping that you'll just let us go tonight." After weeks since the incident, the video emerged on Thursday, December 1, and the chief was put on leave for using her position and asking the officer to look the other way.
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Who is Mary O'Connor?
The Tampa Police chief Mary O'connor, who in 1995 was kicked off the force after an incident where she was charged with assault, obstruction, and disorderly intoxication, released a statement following the incident and wrote, "I want you to hear it from me first prior to news stories circulating." She added, "This was the first time we had ever taken the golf cart onto a public roadway, prompting the need for a license plate," reported Daily Mail. "During our conversation with the deputy, which I knew was being recorded on body-worn camera, I use poor judgment by noting my position at the Tampa Police Department and asking him for for forgiveness for our mistake."
O'Connor claimed that while "in hindsight" the interaction could be "viewed as inappropriate, that was certainly not my intent." Deputy Jacoby spoke of the incident and said he thought he recognized O'Connor and let her and her husband go after a handshake. In the video, O'Connor left him with her card and a message as they drove away, "If you ever need anything call me - serious." The chief is "remorseful" and has offered to pay for any potential citation, while also apologizing to Mayor Jane Castor and "to you employees of our police department as well."
In 1995 O'Connor, then Mary Minter was a passenger when her then-boyfriend and future husband Keith O'Connor were pulled over on suspicion of DUI. Whilst Keith O'Connor was charged with drunk driving, Chief O'Connor was charged with assault on an officer, obstruction and disorderly intoxication for kicking the windows of the police car and punching a deputy, reported the source. O'Connor was eventually reinstated, working on the force until retiring in 2016 before coming back to serve as chief earlier this year. In the past, O'Connor has also come under scrutiny for participating in a police program that disproportionately stopped black bikers and for installing a mute function on police bodycams, reported the source.
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.
— Jane Castor (@JaneCastor) December 2, 2022
On Friday, a former Tampa police chief tweeted, "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." However, it is unclear if Tampa PD will sanction her, driving on a roadway without a license is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, according to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. In a statement, Mayor Castor said, "We hold everyone accountable, no matter their position, and this behavior was unacceptable. Chief O'Connor will go through the due process and face appropriate discipline."