Tampa Police Chief Resigns After Golf Cart Traffic Stop

TAMPA, FL — After spending less than a year on the job, Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor announced her resignation following an incident earlier this month in which she and her husband were pulled over by a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy in a golf cart.

O'Connor submitted her letter of resignation Monday morning at the request of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

"Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has requested and received the resignation of Police Chief Mary O'Connor, following the completion of an Internal Affairs investigation into a recent traffic stop involving O'Connor," read the statement. "Assistant Chief Lee Bercaw, a widely respected, 25-year veteran of the department, will serve as acting chief while a comprehensive national search is conducted."

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According to a news release, on Nov. 12, O'Connor, 52, and her husband, Keith O'Connor, were stopped by a sheriff's deputy at East Lake Road and Woodlands Parkway after driving their golf cart to a restaurant outside the East Lake Woodlands golf and country club community in Oldsmar where the O'Connors live.

In the video, Pinellas County sheriff's Deputy Larry Jacoby can be heard telling the O'Connors he pulled them over because the golf cart had no tag, which is required to drive golf carts outside the confines of the golf community.

In the video, Keith O'Connor, who was driving the golf cart, explained to the deputy that they had gone to the East Lake Woodlands Country Club for dinner, but it was closed so they drove the golf cart to a nearby Greek restaurant outside the neighborhood. He said it was the first time they'd ever taken the golf cart out of the neighborhood.

In the video, the police chief asked Jacoby if his body-worn camera was on. When he said it was, she told him she was the Tampa police chief and displayed her badge, saying, "I'm hoping you will let us go tonight."

After confirming that the couple was on their way back to their neighborhood, Jacoby said, "No worries. We've had a lot of trouble with golf carts around here."

O'Connor then handed Jacoby her business card and stated, "If you ever need anything, call me ... serious."

"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. 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," said Castor in a statement.

According to the internal affairs investigation signed by Acting Chief of Police Lee Bercaw, "After careful review of the video, documentation, interview, applicable departmental policies, procedures and regulations as they apply to the facts of this care, I find that the investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to sustain violations of Tampa Police Department police.

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

"This is especially disappointing because I gave Mary O’Connor a second chance, as I believe in second chances for people. Which is one of the reasons that the disappointment today runs so deep. I had high hope for Chief O’Connor, as she was off to such a strong start by reducing violent gun crime, proactively engaging with our community and focusing on officer wellness. But these accomplishments pale in comparison to the priority I place on integrity," Castor continued. "In Lee Bercaw, we have a thoughtful and highly regarded leader in progressive policing. I am grateful he can hit the ground running and continue working with our community to keep our city safe.”

Bercaw has worked in every Tampa neighborhood and has been a key force in developing proactive crime reduction strategies that have made Tampa among the safest cities of its size in America. He is well-versed in managing large-scale events such as the Super Bowl, Gasparilla and the Republican National Convention, Castor said. He holds a doctorate in criminal justice from St. Leo University, as well as a master of arts in criminal justice administration and a bachelor of science in criminology from the University of South Florida.

Castor said she has no firm deadline for selecting the next chief but fully expects that a national search and hiring process will take several months.

In her letter of resignation, O'Connor said, "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 city, so for that reason, I am resigning."

Residents commenting on the city's Facebook page overwhelmingly supported the mayor's decision.

"It was the right decision. Thank you, Mayor Castor," James Dutzar said.

"The only decision that could’ve been made," Jackie Trigg said. "How could any Tampa resident have confidence in our TPD with her leadership?"

"We as a community completely understand and believe this is the right path forward," Nick Kish said. "No one should expect preferential treatment and try to use their power to get a 'pass.' Thank you for doing the right thing, Mayor Castor."

"I know it has to hit hard knowing someone that was appointed failed so publicly to lead by example, but glad the resignation was requested and summarily received," David Dzien said. "The quicker this chapter closes, the better the community will be."