'A Cop's Chief' Fights for Her Job

'A Cop's Chief' Fights for Her Job
Outspokenness Wins Support Among Park Police Officers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37092-2003Dec28.html
By Monte Reel and David A. Fahrenthold --Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, December 29, 2003; Page A01

--snip--

The National Park Service put her on leave and moved to fire her after she went public this month with her concerns about money and staffing. Now, a 27-year police career floats in limbo, and those who worked under Chambers at departments in Durham and Prince George's County say they -- and Chambers herself -- are stunned.

Chambers, 46, has rarely left her Prince George's County home since the controversy began, according to friends and family members. She has been ordered by the Park Service to make no more comments, and she declined recent interview requests. But friends and family members said that she feels betrayed by superiors who have done nothing to defend her. She has been spending the holidays composing a formal rebuttal to each of the administrative charges against her, they said.

--snip--

The Park Service reacted quickly after Chambers told reporters early this month that her force was overstretched and underfunded and that the region's parks and parkways were growing more dangerous as a result. On Dec. 3, the day after her comments made news, Park Service officials said she broke rules barring public comment about ongoing budget discussions and prohibiting lobbying by someone in her position. Officials ordered her to temporarily stop talking with the media.

.
.
. . From the Article:

Even a few days after that, during the annual lighting ceremony of the National Christmas Tree on Dec. 4, her future didn't appear as troubled as it would turn out to be -- President Bush walked up to Chambers before the ceremony to personally thank her for her great work, said Albert Riskin, Chambers's father-in-law.

But the next day she was called to Murphy's office, stripped of her gun and badge and sent home, something that her husband, a retired Prince George's police officer, said "is equal to a police funeral" for a law enforcement official.

/snip/

Several members of Congress have joined her chorus of supporters, some of whom have suggested that her treatment is an example of the Bush administration's enmity toward officials who stray from the party line. Most of the criticism has related to the Interior Department's reaction to Chambers's comments to the media.

"This is a tactic of a totalitarian society, to prohibit public officials from responding truthfully to questions about the resources they have," said Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.).

/snip/

Welkome to Murikkka, Land of the (cough)*Free*(cough)

backslap's someone or a group one day then backstabs them the next

seems that nearly everytime he makes some appearance and praises some group that their funding gets cut or eliminated the next day

of the way the frat boy in charge handled his dads campaign.
another thing they{the media} didn't talk about in 00.
bush is a mean bastard -- with no ethics or morals.