WATCH - 'Ever need anything, call me': Tampa police chief quits after flashing badge to avoid fine

After it was discovered that she had exploited her position to avoid receiving a fine for operating her golf cart on the street, the police chief of Tampa, Florida, resigned. A Pinellas County sheriff's officer stopped Mary O'Connor and her husband last month close to the gated neighbourhood where they reside, as seen on body-cam footage.

"I'm hoping you'll let us go tonight," she told the deputy as she introduced herself and flashed her badge and ID. The event on November 12 in a neighbourhood outside of Tampa, Florida's third-largest city, is captured on video that was made public last week.

O'Connor and her husband were stopped for operating an unregistered car on the street, and the deputy can be seen stating in the video. In addition to not often driving her automobile on public roadways, O'Connor says that she is "going to pick up food."

She then inquires about the deputy's body camera. She responds, "I'm the police chief in Tampa," when he confirms that the camera is on. They have "a lot of difficulties with golf carts around here," the officer is heard telling the woman. Before being let go without a ticket, she can be seen giving him her business card. "Ever need anything, call me," she says.

On Monday, the mayor of Tampa said that the police chief had broken the law. According to a statement issued by the mayor's office, "Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has sought and accepted the resignation of Police Chief Mary O'Connor."

The mayor also claimed that O'Connor had broken the rules on "standard of behaviour" and "abuse of position or identification." O'Connor expressed regret and acknowledged that "this situation may be regarded as improper, but that was definitely not my intent."

The police chief is expected to set an excellent example and uphold "high standards for ethical and professional behaviour," according to a statement made by Mayor Castor on Monday.

She stated that it was "inappropriate for any public employee, especially the city's top law enforcement head, to beg for preferential treatment because of their position," adding that "that definitely did not happen in this case."

Following 22 years in the city's police department, O'Connor was sworn into office in March. After being detained for assaulting deputies during a traffic checkin 1995, she lost her job as an officer and was rehired the following year.