Capitol Police finally hires a new chief six months after predecessor was forced out over failings during the January 6 riots
The U.S. Capitol Police has a new chief, filling a vacancy created when his predecessor resigned over the January 6 storming of the Capitol.
J. Thomas Manger, a former police chief in Maryland and Virginia, will take up the mantel immediately, congressional officials announced Thursday.
Manger will replace Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman, who has been running the department since the riots in January.
Steven Sund, the previous chief, stepped down after being urged to do so by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the breakdown in security and the department's total failure to protect Congress - their sole role.
Hundreds of supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol to block the certification of President Joe Biden's electoral victory, following a fiery speech by Trump.
Pittman was not expected to be hired permanently after steep criticism from her own officers, who said she showed little to no leadership on the day of the riot. The union voted overwhelmingly to show no confidence in her shortly afterward.
J. Thomas Manger, a former police chief in Maryland and Virginia, is the new chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, congressional officials announced Thursday
Manger will replace acting chief Yogananda Pittman (left), who was acting chief after former chief after Steven Sund (right) resigned in the wake of the riots
The U.S. Capitol Police Board, which includes the House and Senate sergeant-at-arms and the Architect of the Capitol, oversees the force and led the months-long search that brought them to Manger.
In a statement about his hiring, the board said that they are confident in his 'experience and approach in protecting the Congress - its Members, employees, visitors and facilities.'
Manger said in a statement to the Associated Press, 'I am humbled and honored to join the men and women of the US Capitol Police Department in their mission to protect the Congress, the Capitol and the federal legislative process. The challenges in protecting the Capitol campus, and everyone who works or visits there, have never been more complex.
He added, 'The courage and dedication of the men and women of this agency were on great display on Jan. 6th. It is now my job to ensure that they have the resources and support to continue to fulfill their mission in an ever increasingly difficult job.'
Manger begins his job as morale is at an all time low. At least 70 officers have resigned since the riots and others are working long overtime hours to make up for the shortage in staff.
Nearly 140 police officers were injured when the violent pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol on January 6
Supporters of then-President Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington
Pro-Trump protesters clash with D.C. police officer Michael Fanone during the riot at the Capitol
The US Department of Justice said that 81 officers from the Capitol Police and 58 members of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department were assaulted during the riots.
One of the officers, Brian Sicknick, died in the wake of the riots after suffering two strokes. Investigators had initially believed he had been struck by a fire extinguisher but that was later disproven. The District of Columbia's chief medical examiner ruled in April that he died of natural causes.
Another officer, Howard Liebengood, died by suicide in the days after the riot.
Then on April 2, a suicidal, knife wielding attacker named Noah Green mowed down two Capitol cops, killing Capitol cop Bill Evans and leaving another critically injured.
Police leaders and the lawmakers that oversee them are striving to determine the best way to secure the Capitol and what direction to take the 2,300-person force that guards the building and the lawmakers inside it.
The department has asked for more funding for more officers and better riot gear, but legislation to provide money for the force has been held up amid partisan disagreements. On July 11, fencing surrounding the perimeter of the building was finally removed.
Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick (left) died after suffering two strokes in the wake of the riots. Investigators had initially believed he had been struck by a fire extinguisher but that was later disproven. His colleague Howard Liebengood (right) died by suicide less than a week after the insurrection
An officer in the above image was seen being dragged down steps outside the Capitol before being beaten by a mob of Trump supporters
Manger served as chief in Montgomery County, Maryland, just outside Washington, for 15 years, leaving in 2019.
Before that, he led the Fairfax County, Virginia, police department, where he had begun his career as a police officer in 1977.
Heading the two Washington-area departments, along with his leadership position in the Major Cities Chiefs Association, have made him a familiar face in law enforcement circles and on Capitol Hill.
The Capitol Police Board said Manger is 'a seasoned decision-maker who will lead with integrity' and that his 'commitment to listening, fairness and transparency will be key in rebuilding trust amongst USCP sworn officers and civilian employees.'
Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said in a statement that Manger's appointment is 'an important step forward as the Capitol Police continues to make the major reforms needed to protect the Capitol Complex and support its officers.'
The Rules panel oversees the police and had recommended the appointment of a permanent chief in a report that examined the security failures on Jan. 6.
Manger's immediate predecessor, Yogananda Pittman had been in charge of intelligence leading up to the riot, which caught law enforcement badly off guard.
She conceded to Congress that multiple levels of failures allowed pro-Trump rioters to storm the building, but denied that law enforcement had failed to take the threat seriously. She noted that several days before the riot, Capitol Police had distributed an internal document warning that extremists were poised for violence.
On July 11, Fencing surrounding the perimeter of the building was finally removed
When Sund stepped down, Pittman became the first black and female police chief in the department´s nearly 200-year history after becoming one of the first two black women promoted to captain.
The department has long faced allegations of racism, notably in a 2001 class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of more than 300 current and former officers who alleged they lost out on promotions and assignments to less-qualified officers and were harassed with racial epithets.
The Capitol Police board thanked Pittman 'for her dedication and focused effort over the last six months to enhance security around the Capitol Complex and begin the hard work of implementing lessons learned from January 6.'
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