Exploring Changes in the Capitol Police Since January 6, 2021
The department has undergone significant changes since the attack, incorporating intelligence gathering and threat assessment divisions that have contributed to an increase in the USCP budget.
TroibNews 
As Congress approaches the certification of another election on January 6, the U.S. Capitol Police has transformed significantly from its state prior to the Capitol attack four years ago.
In the aftermath of the attempted insurrection, security officials faced intense criticism for their lack of preparedness, leading to several high-level resignations soon after. A common point of contention was the belief that officials should have anticipated the massive protest that had the potential to become violent. This dilemma was amplified by a noticeable rise in violent threats directed at members of Congress.
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger is working to redefine the agency's focus from being a traditional police force concentrated on Capitol Hill to a “protective force” emphasizing intelligence gathering, threat assessment, and exercising its nationwide jurisdiction. The agency now includes an intelligence bureau staffed with dozens of agents and has established field offices in Florida and California, with plans for further expansion in states like Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Texas.
However, these enhancements come with significant financial implications. The Capitol Police now operates with a budget of $791.5 million, representing an increase of over 70 percent since the Capitol attack. Even when adjusting for inflation, this is more than seven times the budget allocated during the 9/11 era. Total expenditures could reach $1 billion in the coming years, as officials seek an additional 14 percent increase for next year’s budget.
“If all we had to do was protect the members of Congress on Capitol grounds, our budget would be a fraction of what it is,” Manger explained in a recent interview. “We've got to protect the members of Congress all over the country.”
This escalating budget has led some lawmakers to voice concerns regarding oversight. While Congress approves this funding, there's an unavoidable tension due to lawmakers' heightened safety concerns. Although no lawmaker has publicly criticized the Capitol Police for their protective efforts—which are undeniably complex—there's a call for increased transparency concerning how the additional funds are utilized.
“I think we need a lot of oversight on the United States Capitol Police processes, and that includes budget,” said Rep. Morgan Griffith, who serves on the House Administration Committee. “We need to be more active. And we need more transparency coming from leadership.”
In conjunction with bolstering intelligence operations, the new funding aims to address personnel shortages and attrition, with varying degrees of success. Prior to January 6, Capitol Police leaders were already focused on expanding the department due to many officers nearing retirement eligibility. The mass exodus of officers that followed the attack further complicated these efforts. Currently, Capitol Police officials claim that their first responder units, expanded bicycle teams, and civil disturbance units are “now appropriately trained and equipped.” The department continues to actively recruit, having increased its staffing by 300 to 400 employees since the riot—not accounting for those hired to replace retirees and other departures.
In December 2021, the FBI and various law enforcement agencies, from NYPD to Washington State, voiced worries about potential violence from Donald Trump’s supporters on January 6. Capitol Police's own intelligence unit had detected social media communications concerning plans to breach the Capitol, including maps detailing the building's tunnels and direct threats against members of Congress.
Despite these warnings, on January 5, 2021, guidance within Capitol Police indicated that “at this time there are no specific known threats related to the Joint Session of Congress Electoral College Vote Certification.” This assessment proved significantly misguided in light of the available intelligence, including insights from the department itself.
After a period of expansion and training, Manger now characterizes the intelligence capabilities of the Capitol Police as “world class.” This includes monitoring social media, emails, phone calls, and all other channels for threats against lawmakers and the Capitol. Last week, Manger informed senators that the department has acted upon all official recommendations for reforms following the attack.
One critical area of ongoing development is the expansion of threat assessment teams that manage the increasing threats against lawmakers. Manger predicted that in 2024, threats could surpass “well over 8,000” against members and the Capitol complex, a stark rise from the 1,000 to 2,000 threats recorded a decade ago. Despite having more personnel, the workload for special agents tasked with investigating these threats remains excessively high, and there’s notable turnover in these high-pressure positions, which fall outside the protections of the Capitol Police union.
“This has been a really, really difficult cycle for a number of members whose families have been threatened,” noted Rep. Annie Kuster. “They have death threats out for them; they have to have special security.”
Capitol Police also oversees residential security for leadership members, having revised procedures after the attack on Paul Pelosi in the former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco home last year. Lawmakers have increasingly demanded more protection outside the heavily monitored Capitol grounds, particularly in their districts, during transit, and at events where multiple members gather and could be at risk.
“We’re concerned about the safety of our family members, ourselves, and our staff both here locally and in our district offices and our homes,” emphasized Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the ranking member of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee. “This is escalating … it’s nasty out there.”
Capitol Police assert that these changes have better equipped them to handle threats. Manger emphasized their duty to protect lawmakers as a “24/7 no-fail mission,” which necessitates increased personnel, training, and administrative support—all of which require substantial funding.
Yet, questions about oversight persist. Following the 2021 attack, both lawmakers and external groups called for a reformation of the oversight framework for the Capitol Police, which is primarily managed by the Capitol Police board. The board's inadequate and disorganized response during the Capitol breach resulted in demands for a structural overhaul.
The 141-year-old board, composed of the House and Senate sergeants at arms and the architect of the Capitol, with a nonvoting presence from the Capitol Police chief, was designed for a more deliberative decision-making process rather than for rapid response during crises. Following the attack, a complete overhaul of the board occurred due to resignations and firings, yet its structural format remained unchanged.
“Do I think that there's tweaks that could be made to make the whole sort of oversight system a little better? Absolutely,” Manger acknowledged. “But I’m trying to work within that structure.”
However, some doubt whether these changes have effectively improved the situation. Griffith expressed concerns that the Capitol Police still struggles with transparency with lawmakers tasked with oversight, stating, “my assessment is that it is not improving.”
“Congress propelled Capitol Police funding and manpower into the stratosphere but failed to launch the accountability mechanisms that would keep the police on mission,” criticized Daniel Schuman, a long-time transparency advocate from the American Governance Institute, in a recent interview.
Since 1998, Capitol Police funding has consistently risen, prompted by an incident in which a gunman killed two officers after bypassing a security checkpoint in an attempt to enter the Capitol office suite of then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay. Following that event, the Capitol Police began seeking and receiving a regular series of budget increases, a trend that continues.
Currently, the Capitol Police are requesting $906 million, which amounts to a 14 percent increase over current funding levels for fiscal 2025. Finalization of the department's funding will occur as lawmakers work out a spending agreement in the upcoming year.
Jordain Carney and Nicholas Wu contributed to this report.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
In the aftermath of the attempted insurrection, security officials faced intense criticism for their lack of preparedness, leading to several high-level resignations soon after. A common point of contention was the belief that officials should have anticipated the massive protest that had the potential to become violent. This dilemma was amplified by a noticeable rise in violent threats directed at members of Congress.
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger is working to redefine the agency's focus from being a traditional police force concentrated on Capitol Hill to a “protective force” emphasizing intelligence gathering, threat assessment, and exercising its nationwide jurisdiction. The agency now includes an intelligence bureau staffed with dozens of agents and has established field offices in Florida and California, with plans for further expansion in states like Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Texas.
However, these enhancements come with significant financial implications. The Capitol Police now operates with a budget of $791.5 million, representing an increase of over 70 percent since the Capitol attack. Even when adjusting for inflation, this is more than seven times the budget allocated during the 9/11 era. Total expenditures could reach $1 billion in the coming years, as officials seek an additional 14 percent increase for next year’s budget.
“If all we had to do was protect the members of Congress on Capitol grounds, our budget would be a fraction of what it is,” Manger explained in a recent interview. “We've got to protect the members of Congress all over the country.”
This escalating budget has led some lawmakers to voice concerns regarding oversight. While Congress approves this funding, there's an unavoidable tension due to lawmakers' heightened safety concerns. Although no lawmaker has publicly criticized the Capitol Police for their protective efforts—which are undeniably complex—there's a call for increased transparency concerning how the additional funds are utilized.
“I think we need a lot of oversight on the United States Capitol Police processes, and that includes budget,” said Rep. Morgan Griffith, who serves on the House Administration Committee. “We need to be more active. And we need more transparency coming from leadership.”
In conjunction with bolstering intelligence operations, the new funding aims to address personnel shortages and attrition, with varying degrees of success. Prior to January 6, Capitol Police leaders were already focused on expanding the department due to many officers nearing retirement eligibility. The mass exodus of officers that followed the attack further complicated these efforts. Currently, Capitol Police officials claim that their first responder units, expanded bicycle teams, and civil disturbance units are “now appropriately trained and equipped.” The department continues to actively recruit, having increased its staffing by 300 to 400 employees since the riot—not accounting for those hired to replace retirees and other departures.
In December 2021, the FBI and various law enforcement agencies, from NYPD to Washington State, voiced worries about potential violence from Donald Trump’s supporters on January 6. Capitol Police's own intelligence unit had detected social media communications concerning plans to breach the Capitol, including maps detailing the building's tunnels and direct threats against members of Congress.
Despite these warnings, on January 5, 2021, guidance within Capitol Police indicated that “at this time there are no specific known threats related to the Joint Session of Congress Electoral College Vote Certification.” This assessment proved significantly misguided in light of the available intelligence, including insights from the department itself.
After a period of expansion and training, Manger now characterizes the intelligence capabilities of the Capitol Police as “world class.” This includes monitoring social media, emails, phone calls, and all other channels for threats against lawmakers and the Capitol. Last week, Manger informed senators that the department has acted upon all official recommendations for reforms following the attack.
One critical area of ongoing development is the expansion of threat assessment teams that manage the increasing threats against lawmakers. Manger predicted that in 2024, threats could surpass “well over 8,000” against members and the Capitol complex, a stark rise from the 1,000 to 2,000 threats recorded a decade ago. Despite having more personnel, the workload for special agents tasked with investigating these threats remains excessively high, and there’s notable turnover in these high-pressure positions, which fall outside the protections of the Capitol Police union.
“This has been a really, really difficult cycle for a number of members whose families have been threatened,” noted Rep. Annie Kuster. “They have death threats out for them; they have to have special security.”
Capitol Police also oversees residential security for leadership members, having revised procedures after the attack on Paul Pelosi in the former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco home last year. Lawmakers have increasingly demanded more protection outside the heavily monitored Capitol grounds, particularly in their districts, during transit, and at events where multiple members gather and could be at risk.
“We’re concerned about the safety of our family members, ourselves, and our staff both here locally and in our district offices and our homes,” emphasized Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the ranking member of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee. “This is escalating … it’s nasty out there.”
Capitol Police assert that these changes have better equipped them to handle threats. Manger emphasized their duty to protect lawmakers as a “24/7 no-fail mission,” which necessitates increased personnel, training, and administrative support—all of which require substantial funding.
Yet, questions about oversight persist. Following the 2021 attack, both lawmakers and external groups called for a reformation of the oversight framework for the Capitol Police, which is primarily managed by the Capitol Police board. The board's inadequate and disorganized response during the Capitol breach resulted in demands for a structural overhaul.
The 141-year-old board, composed of the House and Senate sergeants at arms and the architect of the Capitol, with a nonvoting presence from the Capitol Police chief, was designed for a more deliberative decision-making process rather than for rapid response during crises. Following the attack, a complete overhaul of the board occurred due to resignations and firings, yet its structural format remained unchanged.
“Do I think that there's tweaks that could be made to make the whole sort of oversight system a little better? Absolutely,” Manger acknowledged. “But I’m trying to work within that structure.”
However, some doubt whether these changes have effectively improved the situation. Griffith expressed concerns that the Capitol Police still struggles with transparency with lawmakers tasked with oversight, stating, “my assessment is that it is not improving.”
“Congress propelled Capitol Police funding and manpower into the stratosphere but failed to launch the accountability mechanisms that would keep the police on mission,” criticized Daniel Schuman, a long-time transparency advocate from the American Governance Institute, in a recent interview.
Since 1998, Capitol Police funding has consistently risen, prompted by an incident in which a gunman killed two officers after bypassing a security checkpoint in an attempt to enter the Capitol office suite of then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay. Following that event, the Capitol Police began seeking and receiving a regular series of budget increases, a trend that continues.
Currently, the Capitol Police are requesting $906 million, which amounts to a 14 percent increase over current funding levels for fiscal 2025. Finalization of the department's funding will occur as lawmakers work out a spending agreement in the upcoming year.
Jordain Carney and Nicholas Wu contributed to this report.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
