Having moved on from being fired during President George W. Bush’s first term in office, Teresa Chambers was pleasantly surprised to learn she can have her old job back as chief of the United States Park Police.

 

Chambers, the first woman and first person from outside the Park Service to head the department in its 213-year history, was fired in December 2003 after she spoke out about budget cuts affecting the ability of her force to perform their jobs. She appealed her termination, but it wasn’t until this week that the Merit Systems Protection Board decided in her favor.

 

The merit board ruled that the evidence against Chambers was weak, and ordered the Park Police to reinstate her within 20 days. Currently the chief of police in Riverdale, Maryland, Chambers said she intends to resign in order to assume her previous position.

 

She’s also in line to receive a very large check. The board said Chambers is entitled to retroactive pay dating back to July 2004 and reimbursement for legal fees.

 

In December 2003, she told The Washington Post that traffic accidents had increased along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway because budget cuts had reduced the necessary number of patrol officers for the area. She also complained about not having enough police to guard national monuments and parks.

 

The Bush administration fired her, citing six charges relating to insubordination and going public with her concerns. Two of them were later dismissed by an administrative judge, and a third was tossed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The rest were thrown out by the merit board.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Fired Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers Ordered Reinstated (by Ed O’Keefe, Washington Post)

Ruling Finds for Fired Police Chief (WTOP)

Teresa Chambers v. Department of the Interior (Merit Systems Protection Board) (pdf)

Park Police Chief Fired After Dispute, Suspension (by Karlyn Barker, Washington Post)