Teresa Chambers officially back on the Park Police job Jan. 31
Ousted U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa C. Chambers will officially resume her duties on Jan. 31, the Interior Department said Friday.
Teresa C. Chambers. (Post)
The decision means Chambers, 53, will once again lead the police force almost seven years after the Bush administration fired her for warning that staff shortages could lead to safety hazards at Washington-area national parks.
The Merit Systems Protection Board this month ordered her reinstatement, citing weak evidence for her dismissal. She is also entitled to about $2 million in retroactive pay and reimbursement for legal fees.
In a statement Friday, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said current Park Police Chief Sal Lauro will step down and serve as a senior adviser to the Interior Department's law enforcement, security and emergency management office.
"Chief Lauro has led the Park Police on a positive and ambitious agenda over the last two years, and I look forward to Teresa Chambers continuing to advance that agenda," Salazar said.
Chambers said it was "a tremendous honor" to return to her former police agency. She has most recently served as chief of police in Riverdale, Md.
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RELATED: Park Police chief's saga is both triumph, warning about honesty in government
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 21, 2011; 1:05 PM ET
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Administration, Revolving Door
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So, she says she was fired for "telling the truth"... her family has heard very little truth from her since.
If those who are reinstating her and singing her praises ONLY KNEW THE ENTIRE STORY, they would be reluctant to congratulate her...
"Honest Chief"?
http://bcchambers.blogspot.com/2010/05/perhaps-she-doth-protest-too-much.html
Posted by: bonchambers | January 21, 2011 3:20 PM | Report abuse
Why waste tax payers money to reisntate a failed chief whose authoritarian style was responsible for loss of several park police officers life and unfair harrassment of innocent motorists.Since 2004, the current chief have brought integrity back to the police force, why go backwards!!!!
Posted by: lennox2 | January 21, 2011 8:22 PM | Report abuse
The truth was that Chambers was brought in from outside the federal government. She did not have any experience in dealing with the federal bureaucracy. She screwed up greatly by trying to push her weight around and going against her superiors. They foolishly chose the wrong issue to fire her on. She brought in two other cronies who were also terminated on their own merits. The Park Police only began positive change since Sal Lauro became Chief...and now he is gone and the agency is thrown back into turmoil...Sad!
Posted by: gibberish1 | January 21, 2011 9:26 PM | Report abuse
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