Legal Fund Created for U.S. Park Police Chief

WASHINGTON, DC,, May 6, 2004 (ENS) - A legal defense fund has been set up to finance court battles this spring to secure the return of Teresa Chambers as the Chief of the U.S. Park Police.

Chambers has been on paid administrative leave and forbidden to work since December 5, 2003 - a few days after she gave an interview to a "Washington Post," reporter in which she spoke of low staffing levels at the National Park Service.

Park Service Deputy Director Donald Murphy placed Chambers on administrative leave, stripped her of law enforcement credentials, and imposed a "gag order" barring her from granting any further interviews to media.

Murphy proposed to dismiss Chambers from her post, but that has been stayed until the Office of Special Counsel completes its investigation into the matter. The Office serves as a referee of federal civil service rules.

Nothing would preclude the Department from returning Chief Chambers to active duty as Chief of the U.S. Park Police at any time, but that appears unlikely.

Organizations representing both current park police officers and retired officers have come out in support of Chambers.

Unless the U.S. Special Counsel intervenes to restore her before May 31, Chambers will be able to take her case directly to civil service court, the Merit Systems Protection Board.

In addition, Chief Chambers will be free to begin a challenge based on First Amendment violations in federal district court.

The new account, called the Honest Chief Fund, will be managed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), which is part of the Chambers legal defense team.

"No expense will be spared to return Chief Chambers to work," said PEER Communications and Outreach Director Chas Offutt, who will be leading the fundraising drive. "We have already received several generous offers from people who wanted to help but had no way to contribute. The Honest Chief Fund will let the thousands of Chief Chambers' supporters weigh in."