Politics Information |
Another Whistleblower -- is Anyone Listening?
The plight of whistleblowers - those employees who sound the alarm about anything from dangerous conditions in the workplace to missed or ignored intelligence regarding our nation's security - is a story that seems to grow stronger and with more frequency every day. My guess is that those stories have always been there; I suspect I am just paying closer attention to them now. You see, I joined the "ranks" of whistleblowers more than one year ago when, on December 2, 2003, a major newspaper printed a story in which I confirmed for them what many of us already knew - we, the members of the United States Park Police, could no longer provide the level of service that citizens and visitors had grown to expect in our parks and on our parkways in Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco. The world changed for all of us on September 11, 2001, and the expectations of police agencies across the country grew exponentially overnight. As the Chief of the United States Park Police, an organization responsible for some of America's most valued and recognizable symbols of freedom, I knew it was my duty, as chiefs of police across the country do every day, to inform the community of the realities of the situation. For being candid -- for being "honest" -- while still being supportive of my superiors, I was, without warning, stripped of my law enforcement authority, badge, and firearm, and escorted from the Department of the Interior by armed special agents of another Federal law enforcement entity in December of 2003. Seven months later, the Department of the Interior terminated me. Frighteningly, the issues I brought to light about our citizens' and visitors' safety and security and the future of these American icons have not been addressed -- other than to silence me. In fact, there are fewer United States Park Police Officers today than there were more than one year ago when I was sent home for daring to say that we weren't able to properly meet our commitments with existing resources. Other security concerns I raised internally have also gone un-addressed. Imagine the outcry if I had previously stayed silent and if one of those symbolic monuments or memorials had been destroyed or the loss of life had occurred to someone visiting one of those locations. I did not want to be standing with my superiors among the ruins of one of these icons or in front of a Congressional committee trying to explain why we hadn't asked for help. Despite the serious First Amendment and security implications of my case for each American, there has been no Congressional intervention, no Congressional hearings, no demand of accountability by elected officials for those who took action to silence me and who have ignored all warnings about the perils to which I alerted them. Following my termination and the publicity that accompanied it, it is unlikely that any current Federal employee will be willing to speak up with straightforward, accurate information about the realities of any danger we face. Our legal appeals continue, and some of the administrative charges placed against me have already been thrown out. Through it all, it is becoming clear that Federal employees have little protection for simply telling the truth. My story is told on a website, www.honestchief.com, established in December 2003 and maintained by my husband so that the American people could "witness" the issues in this case. The website has provided transparency to my situation by making key documents available for viewing, including the transcripts of depositions of top officials and their testimony during a key administrative hearing. Suppression of information is spreading - gag orders, non disclosures agreements, and the government's refusal to turn over documents. In agencies that span Federal service, conscientious public servants are struggling to communicate vital concerns to their true employers - you, the American public. Is anyone listening? Teresa C. Chambershe plight of whistleblowers - those employees who sound the alarm about anything from dangerous conditions in the workplace to missed or ignored intelligence regarding our nation's security - is a story that seems to grow stronger and with more frequency every day. My guess is that those stories have always been there; I suspect I am just paying closer attention to them now. You see, I joined the "ranks" of whistleblowers more than one year ago when, on December 2, 2003, a major newspaper printed a story in which I confirmed for them what many of us already knew - we, the members of the United States Park Police, could no longer provide the level of service that citizens and visitors had grown to expect in our parks and on our parkways in Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco. The world changed for all of us on September 11, 2001, and the expectations of police agencies across the country grew exponentially overnight. As the Chief of the United States Park Police, an organization responsible for some of America's most valued and recognizable symbols of freedom, I knew it was my duty, as chiefs of police across the country do every day, to inform the community of the realities of the situation. For being candid -- for being "honest" -- while still being supportive of my superiors, I was, without warning, stripped of my law enforcement authority, badge, and firearm, and escorted from the Department of the Interior by armed special agents of another Federal law enforcement entity in December of 2003. Seven months later, the Department of the Interior terminated me. Frighteningly, the issues I brought to light about our citizens' and visitors' safety and security and the future of these American icons have not been addressed -- other than to silence me. In fact, there are fewer United States Park Police Officers today than there were more than one year ago when I was sent home for daring to say that we weren't able to properly meet our commitments with existing resources. Other security concerns I raised internally have also gone un-addressed. Imagine the outcry if I had previously stayed silent and if one of those symbolic monuments or memorials had been destroyed or the loss of life had occurred to someone visiting one of those locations. I did not want to be standing with my superiors among the ruins of one of these icons or in front of a Congressional committee trying to explain why we hadn't asked for help. Despite the serious First Amendment and security implications of my case for each American, there has been no Congressional intervention, no Congressional hearings, no demand of accountability by elected officials for those who took action to silence me and who have ignored all warnings about the perils to which I alerted them. Following my termination and the publicity that accompanied it, it is unlikely that any current Federal employee will be willing to speak up with straightforward, accurate information about the realities of any danger we face. Our legal appeals continue, and some of the administrative charges placed against me have already been thrown out. Through it all, it is becoming clear that Federal employees have little protection for simply telling the truth. My story is told on a website, www.honestchief.com, established in December 2003 and maintained by my husband so that the American people could "witness" the issues in this case. The website has provided transparency to my situation by making key documents available for viewing, including the transcripts of depositions of top officials and their testimony during a key administrative hearing. Suppression of information is spreading - gag orders, non disclosures agreements, and the government's refusal to turn over documents. In agencies that span Federal service, conscientious public servants are struggling to communicate vital concerns to their true employers - you, the American public. Is anyone listening? Teresa C. Chambers Teresa Chambers devoted nearly 28 years to law enforcement service. Her most recent position was that of Chief of Police of the United States Park Police, headquartered in Washington, D.C. U.S. Park Police employees are responsible for protecting national parks, monuments, and parkways in the Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City areas. They also provide dignitary protection for the President and other officials as well as a variety of law enforcement functions necessitated in the role as one of only a few uniformed Federal law enforcement agencies. Before being sworn as the Chief of the U.S. Park Police in early 2002, Chambers served as the Chief of Police in Durham, North Carolina. There she was credited with significantly reducing crime while improving morale and retention of employees. Chambers also served more than 21 years in the Prince George's County, Maryland, Police Department, retiring in 1997 at the rank of major in order to accept the job of Chief of Police in Durham. Please visit http://www.honestchief.com to learn more about her current situation.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open template $TEMPLATEfilename, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Restoration in Russia: Much Needed and Inevitable Handing over power to Vladimir Putin in 1999, Boris Yeltsin sought to preserve the political alignment of forces and coordinates he set during his rule in Russia in 1991-1999. The project 'Heir' did not only imply selecting a man from Yeltsin's 'camp', but the one who would preserve the status quo of the regime. Thoughts Born of Tragedy ... .. Arrogance Of Terror The man on the tape raised his hand, pointing a finger into the camera, his AK-47 raised at his side, punctuating every threat and accusation. He seemed consumed with the intense desire not only to declare his intentions, but earnest in his attempts to persuade his threatened audiences of their culpability in his group's future aggression upon them. Take Marijuana Off the DEAs Docket Quit paying the DEA to chase marijuana. We could save millions for education (or tax credits, for you republicans). Secret Clandestine Facial Recognition Countermeasures and The Future of the CIA Presently Universities and Private Enterprise are working to build more robust "Facial Recognition Technologies" due to the Homeland Security Funding for such research this field continues to grow. Anti-Terrorist efforts are a worldwide goal, so we are sharing this technologies with allies for use in their countries. The Project For A New American Century Let the reader be reminded, that this document we are quoting, which can be readily viewed at PNAC's website, (Rebuilding America's Defenses), was drafted in 1998, based on a document that was presented to the White House in 1992! Of course I suppose in the eyes of the undying Christian supporter of the American New World Order and the George Bush White House, the fact that the world is currently fulfilling this document TO A TEE, could be totally coincidence. The fact that the American Government has put on a show of tragedy and disappointment in the public's eyes, pretending that none of this was planned or intended, and has pretended to be surprised and overcome by these things, when they clearly stated them 12 years ago, as necessary goals to "project American power across the globe" is beyond the scope of your average American Christian's comprehension, while he argues that this is a holy nation. Famous Filibusters in Political History The filibuster as a political delaying tactic has been a part of the American political process since the adoption of the U.S. Profiling Eco-terrorists The FBI recently before Congress stated that Eco-Terrorism was on the rise and it is probably the most significant current Domestic Threat. Unfortunately it is somewhat hard to profile these folks as most are misfits of society and somewhat socially inept. National Archives Needs to Embed RFID Tags in Ink Perhaps we should have printers with ink which has metallic properties which would simulate RFID Tags in pages scattered throughout the reports and papers of secret documents, then if one decides to do something unethical to steal the paper work then the report itself will trigger an alarm, even if one puts it in their socks or underwear, under a hat. As one leaves the building through a detector like at the bookstores, gotcha!!These technologies are being developed now, so we may as well put them to good use. Shooting Around Corners with New Concept Currently the United States has weapons, which can shoot around corners, but they are not as accurate as we wish them to be. Often an insurgent will sit a top a building with a superior vantage point and a good location. If Terrorists Are To Become Slick Politicians, Yhey Need Time Rather Than God on Their Side The number of countries in the world at the moment that are in some form of transition is higher than some ten years ago, and in some ways more efforts are made to resolve situations that threaten stability. And the moves of all involved parties are not without major-league risks. John Roberts - Supreme Court Nominee President Bush's selection of the Hon. John Roberts is an interesting choice. No Child Left Behind needs to go Virtual The No Child Left Behind can work if the Federal Government will put up content on the website and allow for those who are; Behind in studies, about to miss a grade level advancement, perform poorly on general tests, at home schooling students (when parents have no knowledge in subject matter), are in Juvenile Hall, live in areas very rural, have disorders, or have injuries which prevent attendance or need Summer School catch up work.By putting up this information on the web in short quick exercises we will be able to insure that these credits or online courses can in fact be counted in all schools. The FTC Purports and Misrepresents Their Law Enforcement Experience as It Attacks Business We should all give much kudos to the Federal Trade Commission. We sincerely compliment you on your misdirection, smoke screams and use of self-aggrandizement to further justify the on-going ability to govern, lead, legislate, regulate, and enforce law in the franchising industry. Trains and the Flow of Fuel Fuel costs seem to rank high in surveys of US citizens most grave concerns. Rates up there at the top, doesn't it?Who are some heavy users of fuel that are not as often thought of? For surface transportation there are many indeed; cars, trucks, buses, etc. Army recovers terrorists' bodies from avalanche-hit areas in South Kashmir As the death toll in the avalanche-hit Jammu and Kashmir is increasing day by day, the security forces have recovered the bodies of few terrorists who had taken shelter in the foothills of Pir Panjal mountain ranges to escape the clutches of security forces. Little did these terrorists know that they wouldn't be able to escape Nature's fury even if they hide from the army. Employment Legislation: Proposed Employment Law Changes - To Take Effect 1 October 2005 Proposed changes to the Sex Discrimination Act ("SDA") 1975 and the Equal Pay Act ("EPA") 1970 under the amended Equal Treatment Directive (2002/73/EC) will be implemented on 1 October 2005. To ensure that your company's policies comply with these proposed reforms please contact us at enquiries@rtcoopers. Pilot-Less and High Speed Train Transportation Systems; Better Strategy Needed We recently saw another ferry accident, this one in NY when the pilot of the vessel fell asleep, which may have been a medical situation or condition, but never the less, accidents like these would be prevented by pilot-less transit systems. This would be no problem with modern technology. The Divided Language I was dismayed to learn the other day, that my all-time favourite George Bernard Shaw quote may not in fact have been uttered by him.Nevertheless, even the misquotation that Britain and the United States are two countries divided by a common language, will ring true with any British Expat who has tried to make their new home in America. Responding to Article: Logic Class 101 Applied to the Minuteman Project In response to Douglas Bower's article; Logic Class 101 Applied to the Minuteman Project and on going topic of the BS at our borders, I wish to comment. First I agree with the Professor regarding the rhetoric and questionable comments from the Minute Men, I agree with the problematic liability, I agree with our own national debate that few in our population see the issues on both sides. |
home | site map | contact us |