Tampa police chief resigns after dodging traffic ticket

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The police chief in Tampa, Florida, has resigned after using her position to escape a ticket during a traffic stop involving her golf cart driven by her husband. Mary O’Connor submitted her resignation Monday after an internal affairs review found she violated police department policy during the Nov. 12, 2022, stop by a Pinellas County sheriff’s deputy. During that stop, O’Connor identified herself as the Tampa chief, flashed her badge and asked to be let go. The deputy issued only a verbal warning. The golf cart did not have a license tag, a requirement for when such vehicles are driven on public streets.