Police officers who defended the US Capitol during the January 6 insurrection did not properly lock down the building and were unsure of the rules for using deadly force against the rioters, according to the acting chief of the Capitol Police.
In a statement submitted for a House hearing on Thursday, Yogananda Pittman provides new details about the law enforcement response to the Capitol riot and the problems that hobbled the police's response.
Pittman emphasises the heroism of officers during the "ugly battle" on January 6 and states Capitol Police had compiled an internal intelligence assessment before the insurrection, when thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed Congress as lawmakers were certifying Joe Biden's presidential win.
That assessment, she says, warned that militia members, white supremacists and members of other extremist groups were likely to take part, that demonstrators would be armed and it was possible they would go to the Capitol to try to disrupt the vote.
"Based on the assessment, the department understood that this demonstration would be unlike the previous demonstrations held by protesters with similar ideologies in November and December 2020," Pittman will say, according to her prepared remarks.
The department also took additional measures to beef up security because of the threat, including calling in additional officers and stepping up protection for key members of Congress.
Pittman details additional steps taken for January 6 by the specialised dignitary protection unit, which protects congressional leaders. She said those agents had been assigned assault-style rifles for January 6.
The department also deployed "counter-surveillance agents" to observe locations around Washington, including the Ellipse downtown where a rally supporting Trump was held.
Capitol Police had also intercepted radio frequencies being used by some of the more organised rioters who brought walkie-talkies to communicate with each other. Pittman says the police had been monitoring their communication.
But Pittman also says the department faced "internal challenges" as it responded to the riot. Officers did not properly lock down the Capitol complex, even after an order had been given over the radio to do so.
She also says officers did not understand when they were allowed to use deadly force and the less-than-lethal weapons that officers had were also not as successful as they believed they would be.
Australian Associated Press
