Watchdog Says Capitol Police Need ‘Culture Change’ for Better Threat Response
The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) internal watchdog will testify before lawmakers Thursday about the shortcomings of the law enforcement response to the Jan. 6 Capital breach, with a prepared statement indicating he will broadly recommend a “culture change” of moving USCP away from a police department towards a “protective agency” better poised to prevent and respond to threats.
Michael Bolton, who since 2019 has served as head of the USCP Office of Inspector General, said in prepared remarks (pdf) that his team’s review of the circumstances around the Jan. 6 Capitol breach found shortcomings in USCP identified as “Department” in his statement in the areas of intelligence, training, operational planning, and culture.
By Cristina Marcos - 04/15/21 04:34 PM EDT
The Capitol Police’s internal watchdog on Thursday described in harrowing detail how officers were woefully underprepared for the Jan. 6 insurrection after leaders failed to communicate intelligence warnings and decided against providing more effective weapons to fight back the violent mob.
In testimony before a House committee, Capitol Police inspector general Michael Bolton highlighted two recent reports listing numerous failures by the top brass and called for a major overhaul of training and operations on the force.
Bolton told lawmakers on the House Administration Committee that the Capitol Police leadership opted against using stronger weapons such as sting balls out of concerns that they would be misused and cause life-altering injuries or death amid the attack on the Capitol.
By Cristina Marcos and Scott Wong - 04/14/21 05:08 PM EDT
The Capitol Police’s internal watchdog will testify before lawmakers Thursday about how the police force failed to prepare for the mob attack on Jan. 6 despite warnings ahead of time of possible violence.
The report from the Capitol Police’s inspector general, Michael Bolton, paints a picture of a police force that failed to disseminate critical warnings about the insurrection to top leaders and even take basic measures to properly maintain equipment that could have helped protect officers from the violent mob.
Bolton is expected to tell lawmakers on the House Administration Committee that the Capitol Police needs a fundamental “culture change” to adequately protect the seat of American democracy and prevent another deadly attack.
Officer’s killing reflects constant danger.
The inspector general of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) will testify before Congress Thursday to answer questions from lawmakers about an internal report describing a multitude of missteps that left the force underprepared for the Jan. 6 riot.
The 104-page watchdog report prepared by Capitol Police Inspector General Michael A. Bolton was released internally last month. It detailed how riot shields had shattered upon impact, expired weapons couldn’t be used, officers had inadequate training and the department s intelligence division had few set standards, according to The Associated Press, which obtained a copy of the report before Thursday s hearing.