GovernmentExecutive.com

The Park Police made it to the front page and home page of the Washington Post today, but not in a way the agency would like. Apparently, staffing issues are worse than ever. The agency is down to 576 officers, its lowest level in 20 years, and several key top slots remain vacant.

Considering that former Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers got suspended and later fired for saying in 2003 that the agency couldn't get by on 620 officers, things look pretty grim.

And the problem extends beyond the uniformed officer ranks. "Key civilians have departed and not been replaced," the Post reported. That has led to delays in scheduled pay raises for some officers, and the postponement of promotion exams for aspiring sergeants and lieutenants.