September 26, 1976 - Teresa Chambers begins her law enforcement career as a Prince George's County Police Cadet. Being too young to start the police academy, she serves the public and the Police Department through assignments that didn't require a sworn law enforcement officer -- parking enforcement, dispatch, administrative positions in Records, Training, Office of the Chief, Crime Analysis, Planning, Special Operations Division, etc. August 1978 - Teresa Chambers begins training at the police academy. December 5, 1978 - Teresa Chambers graduates from the police academy and has her badge pinned on by her first chief of police. December 31, 1997 - After 21 plus years with the Prince George's County Police, Teresa Chambers retires at the rank of Major. January 20, 1998 - Teresa Chambers is sworn in as the Chief of the Durham (NC) Police Department. February 10, 2002 - Teresa Chambers is hired as the Chief of the United States Park Police amidst considerable praise from the Director of the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior. February 14, 2002 - Teresa Chambers is sworn in as the Chief of the United States Park Police. November 20, 2003 - In response to information provided to the Washington Post by the Fraternal Order of Police (United States Park Police Labor Committee) a Washington Post reporter interviews Chief Chambers. Chief Chambers immediately notifies NPS Deputy Director Don Murphy of the interview and the subject matter. She also notifies NPS Director Fran Mainella, DOI Deputy Assistant Secretary Paul Hoffman, and DOI Deputy Assistant Secretary Larry Parkinson. Subsequently, Chief Chambers was contacted by the DOI Press Officer and informed that she (Chief Chambers) would remain the sole point of contact for the media on this issue. December 2, 2003 AM - The Washington Post publishes an article concerning public safety issues in the Washington DC National Parks. The article includes statements based upon the interview with Chief Chambers and the information provided by the FOP. Chief Chambers is subsequently requested to do live and taped television interviews with local media. December 2, 2003 Mid-day - Chief Chambers delivers to Director Mainella a formal complaint of hostile work environment against Deputy Director Murphy. (Read the Complaint) December 2, 2003 Evening - Three hours after Chief Chambers delivers the complaint against Mr. Murphy, he leaves the first of two voice mails and a subsequent email directing Chief Chambers to have no contact with the media. Mr. Murphy requests the Chief to meet with him and Director Mainella on December 3. December 3, 2003 - The meeting with Mr. Murphy and Director Mainella is cancelled by the NPS. Chief Chambers is directed to attend a meeting with Director Mainella and Mr. Murphy on December 5 to discuss general Park Police issues. Despite being questioned on the specifics of the meeting, Mr. Murphy only states it will be to discuss general Park Police issues. December 4, 2003 - In response to a media inquiry into the gag order of Chief Chambers, Mr. Murphy comments that the National Park Service is not considering suspending or firing Chief Chambers. In an interview with WTOP radio, Mr. Murphy states that most United States Park Police Officers around the monuments will be replaced with security guards and that the monuments will have one officer and two security guards. Fourteen days later, Mr. Murphy will propose termination for Chief Chambers because she spoke about confidential security information related to the Mall when she confirmed that there were currently four officers assigned to each monument. (Read the WTOP News Report) December 5, 2003 - Chief Chambers arrives for the scheduled meeting and observes that Director Mainella is not present. She is informed that she cannot speak with Director Mainella. Exactly 25 years to the day after her first police badge is pinned on, Chief Chambers has her gun and badge stripped from her by Mr. Murphy, is placed in a non-duty status, and escorted out of the building by armed National Park Service Special Agents back to the United States Park Police Headquarters. When Chief Chambers questions this treatment, normally reserved only for those law enforcement personnel accused of criminal acts, Mr. Murphy and his legal counsel refuse to provide Chief Chambers with an answer. December 12, 2003 - The NPS and Chief Chambers, along with her attorneys, meet at a secret location. Despite that Chief Chambers has not been told any of the charges against her, the NPS offers to dismiss all "charges" against her if she will agree to certain stipulations and directives from Don Murphy. After hearing more about the requirements, Chief Chambers refuses to subject herself or the United States Park Police to edicts that would take away executive decision making authority, illegally restrict First Amendment rights and the right to freely communicate with Congress, and require Chief Chambers to commit an illegal prohibited personnel act by transferring a Whistleblower. (Read the Press Release)
December 18, 2003 - The NPS delivers a letter of intent to remove Chief Chambers from Federal Service. The letter details six charges against Chief Chambers. This is the first notification Chief Chambers has received of the charges against her. (Read the Administrative Charges) January 5, 2004 - Although the NPS has only issued a notice of proposed termination and Chief Chambers has not yet submitted an appeal, the NPS removes Teresa Chambers name from the Federal telephone directories and names Assistant Chief Benjamin Holmes as Acting Chief. However, correspondence submitted to members of Congress after this date by NPS Director Fran Mainella state that Chief Chambers has not been terminated yet. (Read the PEER Press Release) January 9, 2004 - Chief Chambers' attorneys submit her rebuttal to her charges on her behalf. Her 56 page response is accompanied by over 200 pages of supporting documentation to include emails, transcripts of voice mails, witness statements, and contemporaneous meeting notes. (Read the Response) January 21, 2004 - The Government Accountability Project submits an Amicus Brief to Deputy Assistant Secretary Paul Hoffman advising him that the attempted removal of Chief Chambers from Federal service violates multiple whistleblower and other legal statutes. The Amicus Brief lays a groundwork for prohibiting certain personnel actions against Chief Chambers. Additionally, the Amicus Brief defends Chief Chambers against one of the termination charges of refusing to transfer an employee by explaining that the transfer would have been a prohibited personnel action against another whistleblower. The Brief also provides legislation that provides that no Federal funds may be used to pay the salary of any official who inhibits the right of a person to communicate with Congress or may be used to further personnel actions against a person because they communicated with Congress. (Read the Brief) January 23, 2004 - Hugo Teufel, principal solicitor who provided guidance to Mr. Murphy on what charges to place and what discipline to propose against Chief Chambers resigns from DOI and takes job with DHS. January 27, 2004 - Based upon Don Murphy's egregious actions against Teresa Chambers and continuing refusal to accept the recommendations of several independent studies to strengthen law enforcement in the National Park Service, the US Park Ranger Fraternal Order of Police issue a press release calling for the removal of Don Murphy. (Read the Press Release) January 29, 2004 - Chief Chambers petitions the Office of Special Counsel for immediate re-instatement, requesting emergency intervention based on violation of whistleblower regulations. (Read the Press Release) January 30, 2004 - Michael Rossetti - Counselor to Secretary Norton announces he is resigning his position at DOI to pursue interests in the private sector February 3, 2004 - The Fiscal Year 2005 budget is released with only a $3.3 million increase in funding for the United States Park Police. Despite a comprehensive budget and staffing analysis submitted by the United States Park Police last fall, NPS spokesperson David Barna states that Chief Chambers' statements regarding the need for more funding and personnel where not based on any studies. Mr. Barna later acknowledges he was unaware of the submitted budget and staffing study. (Read the Article) February 10, 2004 - Chief Teresa Chambers' two year anniversary with the United States Park Police is tainted by the NPS effort to defame her and remove her from Federal service. In a December 2002 press release regarding the hiring of Teresa Chambers, NPS Director Mainella had stated, "I am very excited that Chief Chambers has accepted this historic challenge. She is a highly qualified professional law enforcement officer, with the distinct ability to enhance our department." The National Center for Women and Policing announces that Teresa Chambers will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for her leadership as the Chief of the United States Park Police, Chief of the Durham (NC) Police Department, and 21 years of law enforcement leadership with the Prince George's County Police Department. (Read the Press Release) February 13, 2004 - Eric Ruff, Communications Director for DOI, whose office was involved in interacting with Chief Chambers during her media interviews regarding the United States Park Police's need for additional staffing and funding, and who was involved in communications with the media in the wake of Chief Chambers' suspension and notice of proposed termination resigns from DOI. February 20, 2004 - United States Park Police Assistant Chief Benjamin Holmes, who has provided leadership to the United States Park Police as the Acting Chief since December 5, announces he is retiring on March 20. While Chief Holmes underscores that he is retiring in order to capitalize on a job offer in the private sector, he does note that concern over the situation with Chief Chambers has played a role in the decision. To Continue With The Timeline / Chronology Of Events Go To The Bottom Of the Home Page And Work Upward Starting With "Two Down, Four to Go."
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