Capitol Police chief resigns a day after breach

WASHINGTON — A day after his department failed to protect Congress from rioting by a violent, proTrump mob that left five dead, many injured and lawmakers terrified, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund announced that he will resign, effective Jan. 16.

Sund submitted his resignation letter to the Capitol Police Board just hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for him to step down.

“I am respectfully submitting my letter of resignation, effective Sunday, January 16, 2021. It has been a pleasure and true honor to serve the United States Capitol Police Board and the Congressional community alongside and the women and men of the United States Capitol Police,” Sund wrote. “As discussed, I will transition into a sick leave status effective January 17, 2021, until I exhaust my available sick leave balance of approximately 440 hours.”

Sund’s tumultuous tenure as the leader of the Capitol Police began in May 2019, when he was appointed to replace Matthew Verderosa. It has been plagued with communications failures, claims of gender discrimination and a robust pattern of misconduct met with light punishment.

The United States Capitol Police Labor Committee on Thursday issued a statement in which it called for Sund’s resignation and for the resignations of Assistant Chief Chad Thomas and Assistant Chief Yogananda Pittman.

“We have several protesters dead, multiple officers injured and the symbol of our Democracy, the U.S. Capitol, desecrated,” union Chairman Gus Papathanasiou said. “This never should have happened. This lack of planning led to the greatest breach of the U.S. Capitol since the War of 1812. This is a failure of leadership at the very top.”