Nearly two years after the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, Capitol police presented “substantial enhancements” to the department to protect against another major assault.
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger stated in a press statement that the department is “certainly better off” than it was before the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when more than 2,000 demonstrators attempted to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election by breaching the U.S. Capitol. During the disturbance, more than 140 officers were hurt, and Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died of multiple strokes after being sprayed with a chemical.
Creating partnerships with police departments in and around Washington, D.C., and hiring law enforcement professionals with expertise of national security events are two of the enhancements noted by Manager. In addition, Congress has passed legislation allowing Capitol police to call the National Guard without previous consent. Several hours passed before National Guard men arrived on the area on January 6.
“Perhaps most significantly, the United States Capitol Police is effectively recruiting and training additional police officers at a rate that will bring us above our pre-pandemic and pre-January 6 manning levels within the next few months,” Manger said.
The department has adopted nearly 100 innovations in total.
“Current threats, especially against elected officials, necessitate sustained and increased vigilance. We will do everything possible to achieve our job of safeguarding Congress, the Capitol, and the legislative process “Manger added.
According to Capitol police, the number of threats against members of Congress has skyrocketed over the past five years. In 2021 alone, the CIA investigated approximately 10,000 threats.
“Due to the politicized situation of our nation, another attack similar to the one our Department faced on January 6, 2021 could be attempted. If the unthinkable occurs, we will be prepared “Manger stated.
»Changes taken by Capitol police to prevent a second January 6: We will be prepared«