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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Interim Police Chief Lee Bercaw will discuss the future of the Tampa Police Department in a news conference on Friday.
The announcement is expected to involve the city’s search for a new police chief. Mary O’Connor resigned after body camera video surfaced that showed her touting her badge and status as police chief during a traffic stop in Nov. 2022.
An internal investigation found that O’Connor abused her position and violated department standards during the incident. The Tampa Police Department has been without a permanent police chief since O’Connor’s resignation on Dec. 5, 2022.
Last month, a City of Tampa spokesperson told News Channel 8 that Castor was “in no rush” to fill the position. Castor previously expressed her intention to hire an outside firm to conduct a nationwide search.
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“Mayor Castor has spoken with the Police Executive Research Forum about leading the search, but no contract is signed yet,” the statement read. “She wants to discuss with the new city council before beginning the search in earnest and is in no rush, given the strong leadership of Interim Chief Lee Bercaw.”
Bercaw appears to be the obvious choice to take over as chief, given his position as interim chief and his lengthy tenure with the Tampa Police Department. He joined TPD in 1997, according to his biography on the department’s website, and has worked in all three of the city’s patrol districts. He also holds a doctorate in criminal justice.
Tampa’s police chief is required to live in the city, and as of Dec. 2022, Bercaw does not. He previously said that moving would not be an issue, but Tampa City Council members can also vote to waive the residency requirement for up to a year, according to Tampa municipal code.
