(National) Park police chief may be fired

[baby_bear]

December 6, 2003

http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=1553589
<snip>
A congressman says the chief of the United States Park Police -- in hot water over budget comments -- is probably on her way out.

Teresa Chambers was suspended with pay Friday, but Congressman Jim Moran, whose committee oversees the National Park Service Budget, says it looks like she's going to be fired. The northern Virginia Democrat tells The Associated Press he learned what would happen Thursday, when he spoke with Chambers' boss -- Park Service Assistant Director Don Murphy.

The move comes two days after she was placed under a gag order for discussing her department's budget problems in media interviews.
</snip>

More information is at a govexec.com site:
http://govexec.com/dailyfed/1205/120503c2.htm

<snip>

The National Park Service has placed the chief of the Park Police on administrative leave after she made comments to the media about budget and personnel shortfalls at the agency. The suspension follows a gag order the agency instituted after Chief Teresa Chambers was quoted in a Tuesday Washington Post article. Chambers told the Post that her 620-member force needs as many as 800 additional officers to meet increased demands, faces a $12 million shortfall this fiscal year, and needs up to $8 million more for next fiscal year.
...
Some House lawmakers questioned the agency's decision to discipline Chambers for speaking out about budget problems, adding that they know the Park Police faces problems.

Dan Drummond, spokesman for Rep. James Moran, D-Va., said Chambers is a highly respected chief and should be allowed to speak freely about her agency. "The congressman is not only concerned about the gag order, but also about the staffing levels," Drummond said. "He does not feel that there should be a gag order on her. She should be allowed to speak freely."

</snip>
more....

As DUers may recall, the Park Service has been an early and prime target of the Bush administration's attempt to outsource federal jobs. I'm not sure how or if that plays into this. It stinks to high heaven, though.

s_m

[Don_G]

1. That's ShrubCo's Modus Operandi

Choke off funding to anything that dosen't generate an immediate profit and maintain silence to make it appear that everyone at the federal level supports "his" position.

I wonder what other major surprises are lurking behind the scenes?

[radfringe]

2. Teresa Chambers spoke out

and it upset the bushies....

how many people does this make that have been fired, asked to resign or gagged with the flag because they disagree with Bush-inc.?

[MaineDem]

3. Now they can privatize the Park Police

Just another nail in the coffin of our civil rights. Speak out; lose your job.

[diamond14]

4. National Park Police are under pressure for BEATING/injuring

peaceful protestors, attempting to kill peaceful protestors with a car, macing and clubbing peaceful protestors....the chief of the National Park Service POLICE will loose her job for that....sending out her THUGS to hurt peaceful American Patriots in OUR Nation's Capital, and the pressure has been building since March 2003....all police Chiefs should take notice of this...because they too may be fired for encouraging their employees to hurt American Patriots - peaceful protestors...

the 'asking for more budget' is just the show for the public, and her lame excuse for brutally attacking protestors....the real event is going on behind the scenes...bye bye...WE THE PEOPLE expect much better from our police....and this police chief is gone....we're proud to send her packing....a VICTORY for all American Patriots, and our streets will now be safer for protestors....

[diamond14]

5. words of wisdom (quotes from people who know about dissent)

Dissent is the HIGHEST form of Patriotism. (Thomas Jefferson)

One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. (Plato)

You measure democracy by the freedom is gives its dissidents, not the freedom is gives its assimilated conformists. (Abbie Hoffman)

The only thing necessary for the triumpth of evil is for good men to do nothing. (Edmund Burke)

The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today is MY OWN GOVERNMENT. For the sake of thousands trembling under OUR violence, I cannot be silent. (Dr. Martin Luther King - good quote to consider with the recent execution of children by American soldiers)

[Malva Zebrina]

6. I feel sorry for these victims of Bush trying to do their jobs

Bush, no doubt, wants to privatize the entire National Park Service--already, some of it has been privatized since he came to office. I feel strongly that is what is behind this. Poor lady was trying to do her job and was hamstrung, probably purposefully.

[diamond14]

7. she led that charge to beat/injure peaceful protestors...she's

now screaming about 'budget' as her excuse for the vicious approach of the National Park Police....

the 'behind the scenes' efforts here in DC are throwing this chief OUT....not because of 'budgets' or 'complaining about budgets' but because her leadership injured innocent protestors....and as the chief of those nasty policies, she must now leave...there has been a lot of work behind this, by people who saw and recorded the violent tactics of the National Park Police...bye, bye, don't let the door hit you on the way out....


all police chiefs should take notice...if they send their employees to hurt protestors (American Patriots)....then, they too may loose their jobs...these police chiefs are not going to get away with injuring American Patriots....

[Malva Zebrina]

8. oh, I apologize

I did not know all of that. My bad :spank: thanks for the information setting that silly post straight.

[baby_bear]

9. Don't apologize, Marianne. You were correct.

Chambers is the victim of a gag order. This has nothing to do with any claims, true or otherwise, concerning police brutality on the part of Park Police.

The point is that the normal activities of the Park Police are being diverted to Homeland Security-type activities, and she is getting punished, maybe fired, for saying so publicly.

s_m

[Bridget Burke]

10. Could you provide more information?

Like, a link?