‘Failure at the top’
WASHINGTON - The chief of the US Capitol Police will resign, according to media reports on Thursday, a day after the federal force charged with protecting Congress was unable to keep supporters of Republican President Donald Trump from storming the building.
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi had called on Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund to step down after officers in the 2000-member force fell back as crowds advanced on Thursday.
That enabled Trump supporters angry about his election defeat to invade the halls of Congress to disrupt certification of Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Other officers fought to keep lawmakers and staff safe.
The Capitol Police did not immediately respond to inquiries about the reports of Sund’s resignation.
CNN reported on Thursday that a Capitol Police officer had died following the riot, the fifth person to die in the incident.
Washington’s federal prosecutor said he would charge any Capitol Police officers found to be complicit in allowing protesters into the building, and lawmakers vowed to open an investigation into the department.
“Many of our Capitol Police just acted so bravely and with such concern for the staff, the members, for the Capitol ... and they deserve our gratitude. But there was a failure at the top of the Capitol Police,” said Ms Pelosi, a Democrat, in calling for Sund’s resignation.
She said that Paul Irving, the House sergeant at arms, would resign. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he would fire Michael Stenger, the Senate sergeant at arms, as soon as runoff elections in Georgia for two seats are certified and Democrats control the Senate.
Trump supporters ransacked legislators’ offices, stole computers and documents, and left threatening messages as they roamed the building for hours.