Mary O’Connor, pictured right here addressing reporters throughout a information convention at Tampa Police headquarters in February, resigned after utilizing her place to flee a ticket throughout a site visitors cease.

Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times through AP

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Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times through AP

Mary O’Connor, pictured right here addressing reporters throughout a information convention at Tampa Police headquarters in February, resigned after utilizing her place to flee a ticket throughout a site visitors cease.

Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times through AP

The Police Chief of Tampa, Florida resigned on Monday after physique cam footage confirmed her asking a deputy to “just let us go” from a site visitors cease.

Mayor Jane Castor mentioned in an announcement that she’d requested and received the resignation of Chief Mary O’Connor following an inner affairs investigation into the incident.

“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 wrote.

“Public trust in Tampa’s police department is paramount to our success as a city and community.”

O’Connor was a passenger in a golf cart pushed by her husband when the pair had been pulled over on Nov. 12, based on the Tampa Police Department.

In physique digital camera footage, a county sheriff’s deputy explains the cart did not have a license plate tag regardless of being pushed on a roadway, a violation of native site visitors legal guidelines. O’Connor asks “is your body camera on?” earlier than figuring out herself because the police chief in Tampa, handing over her badge, and including, “I’m hoping you’ll just let us go tonight.”

Later within the alternate, O’Connor apologizes and palms over her enterprise card, saying, “if you ever need anything, call me. Seriously. I appreciate you.”

In a statement released last week, O’Connor apologized to the residents of Tampa and mentioned she referred to as the sheriff’s workplace providing to pay for any citations.

“In hindsight, I realize how my handling of this matter could be viewed as inappropriate, but that was certainly not my intent,” she mentioned. “I knew my conversation was on video, and my motive was not to put the deputy in an uncomfortable position.”

According to the Tampa Bay Times, O’Connor was arrested throughout a site visitors cease three many years in the past as a rookie officer. She pleaded no contest to misdemeanor fees after hanging a deputy and disrupting officers from conducting a sobriety take a look at on her then-boyfriend.

O’Connor was fired from the police pressure for the incident, however later reinstated. She labored her approach up by way of the ranks, turning into Police Chief earlier this 12 months.

Castor wrote that her disappointment over O’Connor’s habits was deepened by Castor’s perception in second possibilities.

“She was off to such a strong start by reducing violent gun crime, proactively engaging with our community and focusing on officer wellness,” Castor wrote.

“But these accomplishments pale in comparison to the priority I place on integrity.”

The metropolis mentioned it might launch a nationwide seek for O’Connor’s substitute. Assistant Police Chief Lee Bercaw will step into the function within the interim.