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REPORT: US Capitol Police Union Criticize Leadership For Lack of Preparation Ahead Of Capitol Riots

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Devan A. Coombes Contributor
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The United States Capitol Police Labor Committee, the union that represents rank-and-file members of the U.S. Capitol Police, said in a statement Wednesday that there was an “unconscionable” lack of preparation by leadership ahead of the Jan. 6 Capitol Riots. 

The union said that it was “angered and shocked” by statements made by the acting Capitol Police Chief during a closed-door session of Congress this week, reported CNN

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman told the House Appropriations Committee that the leaders of the police department were aware that there could be violence at the Capitol in the days leading up to the riots. She reportedly took blame for the attack. 

Yogananda told the House Appropriations Committee that leadership knew two days before the riots “that militia groups and white supremacists organizations would be attending,” reported Forbes.

The president of the union, Gus Papathanasiou, said in a statement Wednesday that “The disclosure that the entire executive team … knew what was coming but did not better prepare us for potential violence, including the possible use of firearms against us, is unconscionable … The fact they did not relay this information to the officers on duty prior to the insurrection is inexcusable.”

Papathanasiou also stated that there were about 140 officers injured during the attacks. (RELATED: Capitol Police Apologize For Failures During Capitol Riot)

“We have one officer who lost his life as a direct result of the insurrection. Another officer has tragically taken his own life,” he said. “I have officers who were not issued helmets prior to the attack who have sustained head injuries. One officer has two cracked ribs and two smashed spinal discs and another was stabbed with a metal fence stake to name some of the injuries.”

The union says that the leadership of the Capitol Police failed and “betrayed” the sole mission of the Capitol Police which is to protect Congress.