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Return to Article: Park police chief says charges unfounded, seeks reinstatement

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  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
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  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
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  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
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  Unbelievable that an incredible amount of expense will be spent by the NPS and DOI defending this weak and miserable excuse to get rid of Teresa Chambers. The root problems seem to cut much deeper than the surface issues presented as cause for termination by Mr. Murphy. The last few pages of Ms. Chambers' rebuttal seems to point to the truth ... questionable financial dealings within the National Park Service attempted to be silenced by transferring personnel, followed by hostile work conditions for Ms. Chambers. Could the NPS really be dumb enough to fire her after she filed a formal complaint? Makes you proud to be an American, doesn't it?

  GovExec.com reader Posted January 13, 2004 5:05 PM
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  We now can see the whole story in the masterful rebuttal supplied by Ms. Chambers lawyer. The Chief's supervisor is dredging up every little supervisory conflict that occurred over the last two years in an attempt to bolster a lame set of charges about her press exposure.

  When added up in total, the charges are laughable and she should be exonerated and retained in her job. In fact, we hope she is given the gift of another, more skilled, supervisor!

  Art Allen Posted January 13, 2004 9:15 AM
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  Hoffman should decide to reinstate Chambers and fire Murphy. Murphy is incompetent and a very, very bad manager as demonstrated by his mishandling in this matter. Chambers legal fees should be paid by Murphy and Murphy's compensation used to reimburse Chambers for her time and suffering. Why do we taxpayers have to pay for the ridiculous actions of incompetent federal government managers and political appointees? No only does Chief Chambers suffer, but most federal employees suffer because most mangers are not qualified or trained for thie jobs. Most federal managers have no idea how to manage and no experience in the business sector managing people or resources.

  GovExec.com reader Posted January 13, 2004 6:59 AM