BY MELISSA GOMEZ

Times Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG — A veteran police officer was arrested Friday morning after he was caught soliciting a prostitute, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Officer Reginald Mitchell, 46, who has spent two decades on the force, was arrested by undercover officers from his own department, officials said.

The incident took place just after 8 a.m., when police said undercover officers saw Mitchell, 46, picking up a woman known to police for prostitution along the 1300 block of 34th Street N in his personal vehicle.

That area has been targeted for prostitution by past undercover operations. In 2015, police made 11 arrests for prostitution-related crimes in one month. Officials said complaints of prostitution led the department to conduct more surveillance of the area.

A surveillance unit reported seeing Amanda McLaughlin, 32, who has a record of prostitution convictions, walk up to Mitchell's personal car and get in, police said.

But it wasn't until officers stopped the car that they realized they had found one of their own, said St. Petersburg police Chief Tony Holloway.

"It's a bad reflection upon the department," he said. "One of us broke the law and did something wrong, so it hurts."

Mitchell was arrested on a misdemeanor solicitation charge. He was given a notice to appear in court, rather than being booked into the Pinellas County jail.

McLaughlin faces a felony prostitution charge because of her prior convictions, police said. Her case was referred to the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office.

Mitchell was placed on paid administrative duty while the department conducts an internal investigation. That means he will be working at police headquarters instead of on the street.

Holloway said he had the option of suspending Mitchell, but said he'd rather have the officer working so he doesn't collect a paycheck for sitting at home.

Mitchell was sworn in as an officer in 1995. His most recent assignment was as a police recruiter.

Holloway said this is the first time he's had to deal with this kind of situation in his three years leading the department.

"It affects all of us because he wears our badge," the chief said.