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Park police chief says charges unfounded, seeks reinstatement
Embattled National Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers on Monday called various charges lodged against her by agency leaders--including improper lobbying and insubordination--factually inaccurate and "incredibly petty."
Chambers issued a point-by-point rebuttal to charges filed against her by Don Murphy, the Park Service's deputy director who placed her on administrative leave last month and requested that she be fired.
"These charges against Chief Chambers do not pass the laugh test -- they are factually incorrect, legally indefensible and incredibly petty, all at the same time," said Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which has joined a legal team seeking her reinstatement. "A breakdown in the Park Service leadership has needlessly created a confrontation where consultation is in order."
Murphy placed Chambers on administrative leave on Dec. 5 just days after she told news outlets that her agency needed more money and faced personnel shortfalls. Murphy ordered Chambers to surrender her badge, gun and law enforcement credentials, and prohibited her from speaking further with the media.
Later Chambers was notified in an eight-page letter from Murphy that the Park Service intended to fire her. In the letter, Murphy charged Chambers with improper budget communications, making public remarks regarding security on federal property, improper disclosure of budget deliberations, improper lobbying, failure to carry out a supervisor's instructions, and failure to follow the chain of command.
Lawyers for Chambers said the charges against her are full of factual inaccuracies and inconsistencies. They said Chambers is invoking multiple legal defenses and that her statements to the media are protected by law.
Chambers' response was submitted to Paul Hoffman, deputy assistant secretary of the Interior Department, who is designated as the "deciding official" for the case. Hoffman must determine whether to reinstate Chambers, terminate her or take some other course. Chambers can appeal Hoffman's decision through administrative and judicial avenues.
Chambers, a career law enforcement professional, was appointed as the first female chief of the Park Police in February 2002. Its 620-member force is responsible for national landmarks ranging from the Statue of Liberty in New York to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The bulk of the agency's work is in Washington, where Park Police patrol the National Mall, monuments, and federal parks and parkways.
COMMENTS
- It does not surprise me at all that a political appointee is launching an all out campaign filled with petty and inaccurate accusations to oust a career civil servant. The current administration has set the tone that not only allows such behavior, but promotes it. Political appointees like Mr. Murphy do not act as independant agents. The same tactics have been used at other federal agencies to move high level career employees perceived to be too critical of the current administration. It appears that the only ones blind to the big picture are the ones who finance it- the American taxpayer! GovExec.com reader Posted January 21, 2004 10:51 AM
- Let's take a closer look at Mr. Don Murphy. This is NOT a career federal employee. In his "shoot from the hip" style, he has violated the regulations provided to assure federal employees are treated fairly on numerous occassions. He has forced excellent career NPS employees to abandon long and stellar NPS careers for other agencies and the private sector rather than face Murphy's personal and usually irresponsible actions. Murphy doesn't have a clue that his actions and the actions of Director Fran Mainella have had a terrible and longlasting impact on the NPS. (Let's be clear... it's Murphy trying to fire Chief Chambers not the whole NPS... most NPS career employees would much rather see him go not her). Mainella and Murphy have gutted the NPS career ranks and filled top jobs with unqualified "buddies." A serious look at the leadership of the NPS is absolutely needed. Chief Chambers may have come from outside the organization, but she is a professional law enforcement official that has brought some needed changes to the organization. She may not be liked by the old guard Park police, but she is liked by the new professionals in the organization. She is also a very nice person who really cares for the organization and the citizens that she serves. She doesn't deserve this treatment any more than the dozens of other career employees who have been royally shafted by Murphy and Mainella. GovExec.com reader Posted January 14, 2004 3:46 PM
- This is a very serious problem. The US Park Police is a very tightknit agency and usually promotes from within. That enables them to continue in their shenanigans. Chief Chambers, an outsider, was not welcome from the beginning. Hiring an outsider meant she wasn't groomed for years, from the beginning, at turning a blind eye to the wrong doing that exists within the agency. They knew she would eventually expose them and she was doomed from the start. In light of these recent allegations regarding the ridiculous harrassment of the Chief and others, I think the taxpayers should demand a FULL scale investigation of this agency. Congress, where are you? How about it? Why is this good woman with a very impressive career going to have it all stripped from her because some of the Park Police and Park Service bad apples want her out? It is well known that many of the US Park Police did NOT want an outsider to run the organization. What are they trying to hide? Please, please let me know what my tax dollars are being thrown away on. Investigate the U.S. Park Police, thoroughly and completely. GovExec.com reader Posted January 14, 2004 12:24 AM
