Tampa Chief resigns

[CBXRider]

Although unprofessional and frankly rather chickenshiite, I don’t see this ethics violation to be serious enough for her to resign. Apparently the mayor requested her resignation and she complied, just ten months after becoming Chief of Police. A citation, even if issued wouldn’t have been much of a penalty, small fine maybe? She’s not very smart I’d agree, asking first if the cop’s body cam was on (he said it was) and then flashing her badge and asking for him to just let it go. She wasn’t even driving. Really a dumb thing to do, like her husband driving a golf cart with no lights or license plate on a public road at night. And what about the cop letting her go after seeing her badge? Will he be sanctioned? All of it seems ridiculous.

‘I’m hoping you’ll just let us go’: Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor flashes badge during Pinellas County traffic stop

The Tampa Police Department addressed an incident Thursday involving Chief of Police Mary O’Connor and her spouse in which the couple was pulled over in a golf cart without a license plate on…

www.wfla.com

[Bumblebee]

Ethics and morality are an important part of the job especially if you are the chief and expect these traits from your employees.

If she flaunts her privilege for such a thing, it can only be imagined what else she would stoop to.

She did the right thing.

[Blanca BusaLess]

Didn’t read linked article but did read one yesterday that said she had priors before? Or was it her husband?
Either way she didn’t seem to professional in video. But I don’t see what she did as reason enough to lose her job over.

People drive golf carts all over the place down here and there. Down the main road no. But they do drive them in their developments and side streets. Cops never say anything.

[Bumblebee]

Didn’t read linked article but did read one yesterday that said she had priors before? Or was it her husband?
Either way she didn’t seem to professional in video. But I don’t see what she did as reason enough to lose her job over.

People drive golf carts all over the place down here and there. Down the main road no. But they do drive them in their developments and side streets. Cops never say anything.

In my opinion, it wasn't the infraction of driving the golf cart but rather her attempt at influencing the subordinate officer into letting them go solely based on her stature within the police force. If the officer found out on his own accord as to who she was and let her go, it would be on him as it is his discretion.

She did the right thing in resigning.

[Blanca BusaLess]

In my opinion, it wasn't the infraction of driving the golf cart but rather her attempt at influencing the subordinate officer into letting them go solely based on her stature within the police force. If the officer found out on his own accord as to who she was and let her go, it would be on him as it is his discretion.

She did the right thing in resigning.

She’s out tooling around on her cart with her husband having a good time. Why has that become so taboo these days? Probably had a couple drinks and was a bit loose. Again nothing wrong, just a good time. Seemed to me like she was joking with the guy. And besides so what if she said who she was and hoped to be let go. Not like she was robbing a bank or anything.
Whole world needs to friggin lighten up.

[Bumblebee]

She’s out tooling around on her cart with her husband having a good time. Why has that become so taboo these days? Probably had a couple drinks and was a bit loose. Again nothing wrong, just a good time. Seemed to me like she was joking with the guy. And besides so what if she said who she was and hoped to be let go. Not like she was robbing a bank or anything.
Whole world needs to friggin lighten up.

You obviously see this incident much differently than I do. I don't see the golf cart issue at all, I see the issue of a person in a high position of authority abusing that privilege and attempting to influence a subordinate.

It was her conscience that came into this and made her do the right thing....public opinion is important for a person in her position-trust is key, after this, each and every decision she made would generate doubt.

[TIMMYDUCK]

Is there really anything else to say .

[Blanca BusaLess]

You obviously see this incident much differently than I do. I don't see the golf cart issue at all, I see the issue of a person in a high position of authority abusing that privilege and attempting to influence a subordinate.

It was her conscience that came into this and made her do the right thing....public opinion is important for a person in her position-trust is key, after this, each and every decision she made would generate doubt.

You’re right I see it much different. Had she said ‘I’m the chief and you HAVE to let me go’ it would be abuse of authority. What she did say was ‘I’m the chief and I hope you let us go’ which still let the decision up to the officer.
In the end I don’t think any of the people there other than the mayor wanted her to resign. Was not a mass uproar over it.

[Bumblebee]

You’re right I see it much different. Had she said ‘I’m the chief and you HAVE to let me go’ it would be abuse of authority. What she did say was ‘I’m the chief and I hope you let us go’ which still let the decision up to the officer.
In the end I don’t think any of the people there other than the mayor wanted her to resign. Was not a mass uproar over it.

She is in a very high position of authority, to pull out her badge and even utter such words was not appropriate....if she was a fellow trooper she might be able to get away with such things with only a reprimand. Just by her even saying she was the chief was an abuse of authority as she expected a positive result in her favor for this utterance.

When you are the chief and you are supposed to be setting the example and standards within the police force, you can't do these things and expect to have any credibility amongst the ranks. I'll bet the trooper who pulled her over is glad she resigned as she put him in a very bad position.

Good to see another entitled, privileged person out job searching.

[Blanca BusaLess]

She is in a very high position of authority, to pull out her badge and even utter such words was not appropriate....if she was a fellow trooper she might be able to get away with such things with only a reprimand. Just by her even saying she was the chief was an abuse of authority as she expected a positive result in her favor for this utterance.

When you are the chief and you are supposed to be setting the example and standards within the police force, you can't do these things and expect to have any credibility amongst the ranks. I'll bet the trooper who pulled her over is glad she resigned as she put him in a very bad position.

Good to see another entitled, privileged person out job searching.

Is it ok if I still disagree?
Is it an abuse of authority for LEOs to get discounts on food and goods?
Abuse to get free perks because of who they are?
They were on a golf cart having a good time. Something many and I mean MANY people do in Florida. She simply said who she was and hoped he’d give her some professional ‘brotherly’ courtesy. I see nothing wrong with it all. Kinda sad you revel in the loss of her job over something as petty as this. The sheriff here in my county and most Florida ones is an elected position. The mayor cannot ‘remove’ her. She should have told the mayor to go pound sand.

[Bumblebee]

Is it ok if I still disagree?
Is it an abuse of authority for LEOs to get discounts on food and goods?
Abuse to get free perks because of who they are?
They were on a golf cart having a good time. Something many and I mean MANY people do in Florida. She simply said who she was and hoped he’d give her some professional ‘brotherly’ courtesy. I see nothing wrong with it all. Kinda sad you revel in the loss of her job over something as petty as this. The sheriff here in my county and most Florida ones is an elected position. The mayor cannot ‘remove’ her. She should have told the mayor to go pound sand.

Of course you can disagree, I believe we are stubborn in our differing positions on this subject.

As a person who held a position of authority, I can relate. The abuse of authority the police chief perpetrated was displaying her badge, identifying who she was and then asking to be let go while committing a crime however small and trivial it might have been.

Although this might seem petty, it is a big deal as she will have lost credibility amongst the rank and file of the police force she commands. This would have spread like wildfire around the police force and any decision she would have made would have been second guessed and questioned.

It's better she resigned for all involved and she knows this or she wouldn't have resigned.

[Blanca BusaLess]

Of course you can disagree, I believe we are stubborn in our differing positions on this subject.

As a person who held a position of authority, I can relate. The abuse of authority the police chief perpetrated was displaying her badge, identifying who she was and then asking to be let go while committing a crime however small and trivial it might have been.

Although this might seem petty, it is a big deal as she will have lost credibility amongst the rank and file of the police force she commands. This would have spread like wildfire around the police force and any decision she would have made would have been second guessed and questioned.

It's better she resigned for all involved and she knows this or she wouldn't have resigned.

Seems we are hearing it differently. She did NOT ask to be let go.
She did say she hoped he would. It was still up to the officer.
Like I said had she said ‘I’m the chief and you need to let us go’ I’d agree.
To me she was only using her title in hopes of getting a lil discretion.
And again what she did or what you think she did to me does not deserve losing her job over. Man people need to lighten up and stop destroying other people lives over silly petty sh!t.

[Bumblebee]

Seems we are hearing it differently. She did NOT ask to be let go.
She did say she hoped he would. It was still up to the officer.
Like I said had she said ‘I’m the chief and you need to let us go’ I’d agree.
To me she was only using her title in hopes of getting a lil discretion.
And again what she did or what you think she did to me does not deserve losing her job over. Man people need to lighten up and stop destroying other people lives over silly petty sh!t.

A police chief flashing a badge and saying "I hope you let us go" is the same as asking-it's walking a very fine line there....add to this she was addressing a subordinate police officer and there in lies the issue.

The police officer (as far as I saw) didn't get a chance to use any discretion before her self-identification.

In the day and age of transparency of police, she should have known better-and subsequently done better.

Regardless, she will be replaced.

[Blanca BusaLess]

A police chief flashing a badge and saying "I hope you let us go" is the same as asking-it's walking a very fine line there....add to this she was addressing a subordinate police officer and there in lies the issue.

The police officer (as far as I saw) didn't get a chance to use any discretion before her self-identification.

In the day and age of transparency of police, she should have known better-and subsequently done better.

Regardless, she will be replaced.

We should focus on cops who do things that warrant attn not one fooling around on their cart having a good time.

[Bumblebee]

We should focus on cops who do things that warrant attn not one fooling around on their cart having a good time.

As a police chief, anything she does warrants attention, if she was a patrol officer, it wouldn't have made the news obviously.

Once you get to a position like hers, your life is no longer your own-you live under a microscope.

[Blanca BusaLess]

As a police chief, anything she does warrants attention, if she was a patrol officer, it wouldn't have made the news obviously.

Once you get to a position like hers, your life is no longer your own-you live under a microscope.

Can we agree to disagree already?
MY opinion she did nothing wrong. Get over it.

[Bumblebee]

Can we agree to disagree already?
MY opinion she did nothing wrong. Get over it.

My apologies, I didn't realize the topic was closed..

Of course we can agree to disagree.

[Blanca BusaLess]

My apologies, I didn't realize the topic was closed..

Of course we can agree to disagree.

Not closed..just that….

So nanny nanny boo boo

[TonyM995]

I saw the original golf cart video and tonight this video came across my feed. She had controversy upon becoming the chief of police. Maybe that’s why she resigned but I don’t follow stuff like this too closely. I did watch this video and find it interesting enough to share since it seems like relevant context.