Astonishing Whistleblower Cases & DC Navy Yard

Jonathan Bourdon Whistleblowing in Capital Heights, Maryland, brings you current events. With our help, you stay informed and educated about the whistleblower cases and the DC Navy Yard events.

Washington Post™ Article

Mr. Bourdon was fired from the Department of Defense after the Washington Post published an article that stating the questionable conditions of the Washington Navy Yard. Mr. Bourdon told the Post there was a lack of training, and the equipment and radios were faulty.

 Click here to view the article and full report

DC Navy Yard – Navy Audit

The Navy Audit was conducted right after the Washington Post ran an article that reported that the audit showed a series of faults. There was approximately $1,000,000 totaling the series of faults. To add insult to injury, there was also an abusive use of overtime that was approved by certain supervisors. These violations found in the Washington Navy Yard were only the tip of the iceberg of a continuous flow of problems.

Congressional Hearing

The hearing consisted of 20 law enforcement agencies. The same agencies represent the District of Columbia. The proceedings covered key issues such as funding, the use of radios, and other important subjects concerning the Washington Ship Yard. The matters were supposed to be looked into further, but it never happened.

Navy Yard police union: Staffing cuts slowed response

Thursday - 9/19/2013, 1:46pm ET
By Hank Silverberg

WASHINGTON - The union representing civilian police officers at the Washington Navy Yard says the base was undermanned because of budget cuts related to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

Anthony Meely, of the Fraternal Order of Police Navy District Washington, says the Navy Yard Police were supposed to have 11 officers on duty at the security gates and on patrol, but at the time of Monday's shooting they only had six.

"For about a year, we have had minimum manning," Meely says. "There's been a hiring freeze for about three years."

Meely says the response to the shooting in Building 197 was slowed because officers' vehicles have been re-assigned to a canine unit. Several officers had to run across the campus, instead of driving, once the shooting began.

One of the officers, Richard Ridgel, 52, of Westminster, Md., was among the 12 people killed when Aaron Alexis opened fire with a shotgun.

Captain Ed Buclatin, a spokesman for the Navy Yard, says Meely's numbers are not accurate, but he could not provide a different number.

Ed Ziegler, a spokesman for the Naval District of Washington, says they are concentrating now on helping victims and all security issues will be part of the review ordered by the Secretary of Defense.

U.S. Park Police Chief Chambers is reinstated

Teresa Chambers is back in her office.

Ultimately, she overcame an unworthy effort to boot her from her job as chief of the U.S. Park Police. She was reinstated Monday, bringing
to an end a long, high-profile battle in which a whistleblower scored an uncommon victory over Uncle Sam.

Victories, however, are no longer as rare as they once were. The reason: The Merit Systems Protection Board, now with two Obama administration appointees, is decidedly more employee-friendly than it was two years ago.