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Capitol Police Union Vote No Confidence In Chief And Six Other Leaders

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Gabrielle Temaat Contributor
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The Capitol Police Union overwhelmingly voted no-confidence on acting Chief Yogananda Pittman and six other agency leaders last week, NPR reported.

The U.S. Capitol Police Labor Committee announced in a press release that 92% of Capitol Police officers voted no-confidence in Pittman and 97% voted no-confidence in Capitol Police Captain Ben Smith, NPR reported.

The majority of officers also voted no confidence in six other department leaders, according to CBS News.

“Capitol Police offers have delivered an overwhelming vote of No Confidence in the senior leadership of the U.S. Capitol Police… The Executive Board of the Capitol Police Union called for rank-and-file members to consider a vote of no confidence late last week following the senior leadership’s mishandling of the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th,” the union announced in a press release, according to CBS.

“The board took this unprecedented step after reviewing details of the events on, and leading up to, January 6th and the subsequent deaths of 6 people, and injuries to approximately 140 Capitol and Metropolitan Police officers.”

The union also said in a statement Monday that leaders did not properly prepare officers for the protest despite knowing days before that it had the potential to turn violent, NPR reported. (RELATED: REPORT: US Capitol Police Union Criticize Leadership For Lack Of Preparation Ahead Of Capitol Riots)

Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Pittman stated that the agency knew militia groups and white supremacist organizations would be at the protest, and that they were likely to bring weapons, according to CBS News. (RELATED: Capitol Police Turned Down Help Before Riot Started)

That the leadership team “knew what was coming but did not better prepare us for potential violence, including the possible use of firearms against us, is unconscionable,” said union chairman Gus Papathanasiou, according to CBS News.