Capitol Police ‘not ready’ for an attack
A BLISTERING internal report by the US Capitol Police describes a multitude of missteps that left the force unprepared for the January 6 insurrection which saw hundreds of Donald Trump’s supporters laying siege to the Capitol.
The watchdog report, released internally last month, describes riot shields that shattered upon impact, expired weapons that could not be used, inadequate training and an intelligence division that had few set standards.
The report, obtained by the Associated Press ahead of a congressional hearing today, adds to what is already known about broader security and intelligence failures that Congress has been investigating since the January 6 incident.
In an extensive and detailed timeline of that day, the report describes conversations between officials as they disagreed on whether National Guard forces were necessary to back up the understaffed Capitol Police force.
It quotes an Army official as telling then-Capitol police chief Steven Sund that “we don’t like the optics of the National Guard standing in a line at the Capitol” after the insurrectionists had already broken in.
Inspector general Michael A Bolton found that the department’s deficiencies were – and remain – widespread.
Equipment was old and stored badly, leaders had failed to act on previous recommendations to improve intelligence, and there was a broad lack of current policies or procedures for the Civil Disturbance Unit, a division that existed to ensure that legislative functions of Congress were not disrupted by civil unrest or protest activity.
That was exactly what happened on January 6 as Mr Trump’s supporters sought to overturn the presidential election in his favour as Congress counted the Electoral College votes.
The report comes as the Capitol Police force has plunging morale and has edged closer to crisis as many officers have been working extra shifts and forced overtime to protect the Capitol after the insurrection.
Acting chief Yogananda Pittman received a vote of no confidence from the union in February, reflecting widespread distrust among the rank and file.
The entire force is also grieving the deaths of two of their own – officer Brian Sicknick, who collapsed and died after engaging with protesters on January 6, and officer William “Billy” Evans, who was killed on April 2 when he was hit by a car that rammed into a barricade outside the Senate.
Mr Evans laid in honour in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday.
The Capitol Police have so far refused to publicly release the report – marked throughout as “law enforcement sensitive” – despite congressional pressure to do so.