When We Cracked Down on Golf Carts on the Road, He Said, "I'm the Police Chief"

All Captured on US Traffic Police Body Cam
Handing Business Card with "Contact Me If You Need Anything"

Police Chief Blowing Breath to Avoid Traffic Enforcement (in the background)
Photo by NBC Broadcast, Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] A police chief in the United States resigned after controversy arose over his abuse of power when caught driving a golf cart on a public road.

According to NBC News and others on the 5th (local time), the incident occurred on the night of the 12th of last month on a road in Pinellas County, Florida. Mary O'Connor, then the Tampa police chief, was sitting in the passenger seat of a golf cart driven by her husband while driving on the road.

However, the cart did not have a proper license plate attached. At that moment, a traffic enforcement officer on duty approached and stopped the cart. O'Connor's problematic remarks came at this time. With a smile, O'Connor asked the officer, "Is your body camera on?" The officer replied, "Yes."

Then O'Connor said, "I am the Tampa police chief," took out her badge, showed it to the officer, and said, "I hope you just let us go tonight."

She was asking the enforcement officer to overlook the situation because she was the police chief of the neighboring district. When the officer replied, "Understood," and was about to let the golf cart go, O'Connor handed him her business card and added, "Please contact me if you need anything. I mean it."

This scene, where O'Connor appeared to exert pressure, was vividly captured on the officer's camera. After the footage was released by local media, controversy erupted over the police chief's improper use of his position. O'Connor publicly apologized, saying it was her first time riding a golf cart and that her behavior was immature. She also added, "Looking back, I realize my response at the time may have seemed inappropriate, but that was not my intention."

While on leave and under investigation by authorities, she expressed willingness to pay the fine and apologized to the enforcement officer, but public criticism did not subside. Ultimately, she announced her resignation that day. Jane Castor, the mayor of Tampa, accepted O'Connor's resignation and said, "Such behavior is unacceptable regardless of the position one holds."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.