Chief Teresa Chambers, who has served as police chief for the Durham (N.C.) PD for almost four years, is leaving to become Chief of the U.S. Park Police for the National Park Service. Chambers becomes the first female head of the park police in its 210-year history.

Her jurisdiction will extend from parklands and monuments in Washington to federal parklands such as the Statue of Liberty and San Francisco's Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The agency also works closely with the Secret Service in helping to provide protection for visiting dignitaries and the president.

In her new job, Chief Chambers will report up the chain-of-command to two women: she will answer directly to the Director of the National Park Service, who answers directly to the Secretary of the Interior.

Chief Chambers is the President of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Excutives (NAWLEE) and has presented on national workshop panels on women and policing topics including two coordinated by the Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference.