According to a body camera video released by the Tampa Police Department on Thursday, Tampa police Chief Mary O’Connor identified herself as the city’s top officer, pulled out her badge and said to a Pinellas County sheriff’s deputy that “I’m hoping you’ll just let us go tonight,” WFLA-TV reported.
But wait! There's more!
TAMPA — Tampa Mayor Jane Castor on Friday placed police Chief Mary O’Connor on administrative leave as the city investigates a traffic stop involving O’Connor last month.
Typical.
ReplyDeleteProfessional courtesy is commonly shown between law enforcement for minor traffic violations. She was professional,humble and respectful toward the officer. This is not news worthy and blown way out of proportion.
ReplyDeleteSo you're saying 'certain' laws don't apply to cops?
DeleteBullshit. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
Hey, anon, that is called "corruption", no matter how respectful she was, or whatever non dirtbag cutesy name you want to cover it up with. This kind of semantic gymnastics is how pedophiles end up being called "minor attracted persons" or President Incest gets "legitimately elected". It's crooked no matter how you slice it.
DeleteThis just goes to show that cops ain't your friends even if they are your cousin, neighbor, or attend your church. The thin blue line exists only to cover its ass, and if you ain't in the club, you ain't shit.
Avoid all appearance of evil.
DeleteI am almost certain the office of chief requires avoiding even the perception of impropriety.
There is not a sliding scale of transgression against the people; either ya did it or ya didn't.
To whom much is given, much is expected.
She was trying to weasel out of a ticket. She knew better. If she did not know better, she is unfit for office.
Whether this be 'blown out of proportion' or not, a little bit is as much as the whole.
Leniency in impropriety of govt officials is a large part of the problems in our society.
Excusing the untoward behaviors is unacceptable.
Yes, I will lecture as if you're a child. As a mature adult yiu are expect to be responsible. Seeking to diminish the impropriety of the top cop is irresonsible therefore in need of correction.
Take your beatings like a man.
"Laws for thee, but not for me."
DeleteOtoh as opposed to professional courtesy excuse -
DeleteTyranny is the unequal application of the law (imposed by classes).
They can all fuck right off - cop sb fired too. Thank you for supporting tyranny asshole.
ch
The thanks for supporting tyranny was directed at the officer, not the person posting... altho...
DeletePeace
ch
I see no problem is a bit of professional courtesy and officer discretion to not write a citation. Who knew if the cop was even going to write a ticket anyway. As a former cop, I would have pulled them over and gave a warning. Traffic tickets are for real assholes driving like assholes...not safe golf carts.
DeleteAnd all of us WANT this officer discretion. If cops wrote EVERY ticket to EVERYONE who broke any of our thousands of laws that have been created to turn honest citizens into criminals, then cops would be very busy and the courts would be clogged and millions of angry people being punished for simply going about their day trying to earn a living and have some joyful moments on occasion.
Is there any person alive who has not been pulled over by a cop and because for any of a million reasons, got a warning instead? Did this not make you happy and relieved. Cops do have discretion to pull people over and point out their wrongdoing without the punishment of a ticket.
I see nothing wrong here at all...except a big ass deal being made out of nothing. Being a cop is a tough ass job...ESPECIALLY TODAY. If cops started writing and arresting each other, it would be a gang war of badges and bad blood all around.
And so what is there is professional courtesy. I dare you to name an industry where this does not exist. If you work in a doctor's office and need an x-ray or an appt...don't you get a bit extra attention and faster service? What about if you work in a restaurant? A car dealership, an accounting office, and so on. You would get better service and possibly a discount for being in the biz so to speak. People take care of their own...and that is a good thing. It's kinda like a big family.
Now, if the police chief was driving like an asshole, speeding around driving DUI, and top that off with being a jerk...well, then discretion to arrest is also available, and that should be addressed and tickets/arrests all around.
For those that say she should have the book thrown at her...be careful. Because one day, you may have the book thrown at you for doing something that should not be illegal, but some liberal lawmaker made a law anyway. Now, we have an pissed off police chief who, because she is being watched, along with EVERY OTHER law enforcement officer, being told, NO MORE LENIENCY. NO MORE DISCRETION. EVERYONE must suffer...and do we want that?
Apparently this corrupt ass affirmative action diversity hire just submitted her resignation.
ReplyDeletefairplayjeepguy
But wait! There's more!
ReplyDeleteToday, Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor resigned.
Don't you love a happy ending?
I'd love it more if there were legal repercussions.
Deletefairplayjeepguy
So she resigned. Her career isn't over; she'll pop up somewhere else in some city.
DeleteDoes resignation allow her to avoid remediation/counseling, which she would be subject to if she were to keep the job?
Yeah, chances are she'll move on down the road and get rehired as a chief in another city who hires her after 'an exhaustive search' to replace the previous woman that retired as their chief. It's all just one big happy game to them.
DeleteThere used to be a web site called "Cops Writing Cops". It was devoted to whining officers that were ticketed for speeding and other moving violations. It disappeared when non-officers found it and started laughing at the whiners.
ReplyDeleteOn the Cal Gun forum, there is a sub-forum for cops. Non-cops could comment on it. Even when non-cops asked questions to gain knowledge, they were often ridiculed for not knowing. And always that gem, 'until you wear a badge, you won't ever understand'.
DeleteOne cop even diagnosed my medical condition when I commented that I too would like to know that which anither had asked. (Why would I want to know unless I was anti-authority with Asbergers?)
I wonder if hubris is a hiring requirement.
Too many of these fucks think they're above the law. My former neighbor, a small town police sergeant, stole $1000 worth of merchandise that was delivered to his house by mistake. Fucker kept it for 6 months until he moved. Class III felony in my state.
ReplyDeleteMost areas have free-zones within a radius of a golf course where residents can drive the cart without the need of a plate. For some it is a couple of miles.
ReplyDeleteSounds to me that the Deputy took a bribe when he accepted her business card.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she can put a flashing light on her golf cart and a 'Protect & Serve' sticker on the side, and practice in the driveway a little..
ReplyDeleteI have quite afew in my family and was raised in it. The ol’man.
ReplyDeleteI just make sure glass’s are filled when needed and I smile alot.
I hear the …arrogance, the entitlement, the “we are Trained”(what a load of shit! I train some, firearms) the BS excuses for shitbag behavior.
Too many are No Better than those they arrest. They just got the shiny and weight and $$$ of the State.
Make no mistake, I am not Anti-Cop !!
I’m not a fan of having to get into a firefight just to get a pack of butts and gas.
LE Would be well advised and ought too heed the thought…
Start Policing YOURSELVES as you Police us if you want True Respect.
They seem to Prefer the Fear Version though.
That doesn’t end well….as has been seen the last number of years.
Tick Tock bois…Tick Tock
I believe this cop was policing her as he would a typical citizen. Only the most asshole of cop would ticket anyone...regardless of who they were, for riding a golf cart on the roadway as she was. He probably made a contact in order to advise and had it been anyone...a statement about this being against a law and a warning is what typically happens in cases like this. No punishment needed. And this is a good thing. Cops should have discretion to write or not a ticket.
DeleteWow, so this is what defund the police looks like. The comments here show me that you all want to go it alone against the trash our police have to deal with on a daily basis. I have no problem with them getting preferential treatment for minor crap as long as they don't mind risking their lives on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteHow in the hell did you read defunding the police into comments about holding police to the same standards that they hold us to?
DeleteFuck their preferential treatment. They're the ones that know better.
The guy should have just taken the ticket, and possible AAA tow.
DeleteI may be wrong but you can drive a golf cart in a lot of places.
Wow, anon, you are one dense SOB. I'm almost certain you are part of the blue brotherhood given your earnest defense of open, blatant, and illegal corruption.
DeleteYou see, we ARE already going it alone against the trash of society, as decided by the sooopreeem court. Warren v DC, Castle Rock v Gonzales, DeShaney v Winnebago have established and reinforced that the blue line has zero obligation to protect any one of us from anything.
Secondly, Officer Billyclub CHOSE, OF HIS OWN FREE WILL, to enter into this field knowing the risks involved in return for a pay rate that was accepted and agreed upon, again, OF HIS OWN FREE WILL. If he's in it for illegal and corrupt perks, then he is no different than the trash he is supposedly standing in our stead against (but as we discovered above, isn't true).
Lastly, I'm going to restate that cops are NOT your friends. They serve no purpose in the prevention of crime or protection of citizens, but are only to enforce the whimsical diktats of their employer, the municipality.
You can not serve two masters.
fairplayjeepguy
Anonymous, preferential treatment you respect is why she (forced) resigned! She has a checked past while on duty! As the sheriff announced last night, if she’d have kept her damn mouth shut this wouldn’t have happened, as we don’t ticket that! She’s gone because she’s trouble!
DeleteOK wirecutter - I read defund the police into the comments by the pure hatred expressed. I said MINOR crap, not felonies, should be a non-issue. Who would want to become a police officer with that attitude toward them? I'll tell you. Assholes that dream of being on a power trip with a gun - that's who will still want to be a cop. Defunding is supposed to accomplish the same thing - to have less cops. Every profession has its perks and the police are no different as long as it isn't a crime but only an infraction and no one else is hurt by that action - like the story above.
DeleteWell, none of the jobs I've ever worked had any perks.
DeleteOne of my commenters above said that the CoP said they don't cite anybody for that offense. She should've just kept her mouth shut.