Discover Africa through a Safari


Another Federal Whistleblower -- Is Anyone Listening?

The plight of whistleblowers - those
employees who sound the alarm about anythingImagine the outcry if I had previously stayed
from dangerous conditions in the workplace tosilent and if one of those symbolic monuments
missed or ignored intelligence regarding ouror memorials had been destroyed or the loss
nation's security - is a story that seems toof life had occurred to someone visiting one
grow stronger and with more frequency everyof those locations. I did not want to be
day. My guess is that those stories havestanding with my superiors among the ruins of
always been there; I suspect I am just payingone of these icons or in front of a
closer  attention  to  them  now.Congressional committee trying to explain why
we  hadn't  asked  for  help.
You see, I joined the "ranks" of
whistleblowers more than one year ago when,Despite the serious First Amendment and
on December 2, 2003, a major newspapersecurity implications of my case for each
printed a story in which I confirmed for themAmerican, there has been no Congressional
what many of us already knew - we, theintervention, no Congressional hearings, no
members of the United States Park Police,demand of accountability by elected officials
could no longer provide the level of servicefor those who took action to silence me and
that citizens and visitors had grown towho have ignored all warnings about the
expect in our parks and on our parkways inperils to which I alerted them. Following my
Washington, D.C., New York City, and Santermination and the publicity that
Francisco. The world changed for all of us onaccompanied it, it is unlikely that any
September 11, 2001, and the expectations ofcurrent Federal employee will be willing to
police agencies across the country grewspeak up with straightforward, accurate
exponentially overnight. As the Chief of theinformation about the realities of any danger
United States Park Police, an organizationwe  face.
responsible for some of America's most valued
and recognizable symbols of freedom, I knewOur legal appeals continue, and some of the
it was my duty, as chiefs of police acrossadministrative charges placed against me have
the country do every day, to inform thealready been thrown out. Through it all, it
community  of the realities of the situation.is becoming clear that Federal employees have
little protection for simply telling the
For being candid -- for being "honest" --truth.
while still being supportive of my superiors,
I was, without warning, stripped of my lawMy story is told on a website, established
enforcement authority, badge, and firearm,by my husband in December 2003 and maintained
and escorted from the Department of theby him so that the American people could
Interior by armed special agents of another"witness" the issues in this case. The
Federal law enforcement entity in December ofwebsite has provided transparency to my
2003. Seven months later, the Department ofsituation by making key documents available
the  Interior  terminated  me.for viewing, including the transcripts of
depositions of top officials and their
Frighteningly, the issues I brought to lighttestimony during a key administrative
about our citizens' and visitors' safety andhearing.
security and the future of these American
icons have not been addressed -- other thanSuppression of information is spreading - gag
to silence me. In fact, there are fewerorders, non disclosures agreements, and the
United States Park Police Officers today thangovernment's refusal to turn over documents.
there were more than one year ago when I wasIn agencies that span Federal service,
sent home for daring to say that we weren'tconscientious public servants are struggling
able to properly meet our commitments withto communicate vital concerns to their true
existing resources. Other security concerns Iemployers - you, the American public. Is
raised internally have also goneanyone listening?
un-addressed.



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