Following the 9/11/01 attacks against New York City's World Trade Center, the residue of the two towers, spread over 174 acres of land, was hand sifted by thousands of workers to recover remains, personal effects, and evidence. Over 17,000 tons of material were processed daily. Items were taken by workers as mementos of the tragedy and recovery effort, including by FBI employees. An investigation of the removals by FBI employees, undertaken by the Department of Justice Inspector General, has resulted in citations of misconduct and in policy recommendations governing crime scenes. Many of the items have been or are being turned over to museums and other collections; the Tiffany globe in particular has been turned over to the Inspector General.

Mrs. Chandler, what is your overall take on this issue?

Sorrow...and concern. Sorrow–and I know I speak for everyone in the FBI when I say this–for the families of the 9/11 victims who have had their own grief compounded by the painful aftermath of the investigation. But also concern that the heroic and dogged actions of thousands during that terrible time are somehow being tainted. No one should forget the difficult and gut-wrenching work accomplished by people at those fearful evidence recovery sites. I visited the Fresh Kills site during the ongoing effort to sift through mountains of debris. I saw our employees and others working tirelessly, looking for the tiniest item that could be identified as belonging to someone that might help a family through its grief. I know they gave their all out there, every day, despite being covered from head to toe with the soot of destruction. I can't forget what they gave of themselves.

Why were the items taken at all?

It is my belief that our employees were simply working feverishly, got caught up in that historic moment, and had good, if misguided motivation in taking the items. We know that debris from the site was also taken by many others, for the same reasons. And yet, regardless of the reasons, the items should not have been taken.

Was there a policy against removing items?

There has always been a firm policy against taking evidentiary and personal items from any crime scene. But there wasn't a policy against taking items that were determined not to fall into those categories and were slated for disposal. Now, though, we have a policy firmly in place. No items at all can be removed from an evidence recovery site. Period.

Are any FBI agents or support personnel being disciplined for their actions?

The Inspector General conducted a thorough investigation and found evidence of misconduct on the part of two employees. Those cases have been referred to our Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). The OPR is reviewing the facts and will determine what discipline is appropriate.

I think you've talked to a number of people involved in the investigation. What have they said to you about it?

Well, they are devastated, every one of them. They keep saying that all they wanted was for those mementos to serve as lifetime reminders of that horrific attack on September 11; they wanted them to inspire everyone who had a small piece of that day to work relentlessly to wipe terrorism off the map. They are, truly, most unhappy that the families they worked so hard to help are now experiencing additional hurt.

Last thoughts?

Thanks to the Inspector General's investigation and recommendations, we have recognized the need for a policy governing this issue and have put one in place. Painful as this process has been, it has helped us improve and strengthened our operation, so that we can perform better in the future.