▶ 0:33:27The com subcommittee will come to order. I'd like to thank the ranking member Espayot and the ranking member of of our full committee, Miss Deloro, for joining us today. I'd like to extend a particularly warm welcome to the new members of our subcommittee. Uh, Representative Nick Loa, uh, Representative Dale Strong, Representative Celeste Malloy, and our new vice chair, Representative Riley Moore, Representative Stiny Hoyer.
▶ 0:33:52Uh, I look forward to working together in a bipartisan fashion as we begin the fiscal year 2026 process. The purpose of today's oversight hearing is to review the status of public safety and security of the Capitol complex, learn about recent breaches to the CA campus, and hear about the new actions that uh United States Capital Police Chief uh Chief of Police and his leadership team are taking to address these lapses.
▶ 0:34:19I want to begin by welcoming uh Chief Manger and congratulating him on his upcoming retirement. Thank you, Chief, uh, for your years of leadership and service to the Capitol community. We appreciate your dedication and work you have done to enhance the safety and security of each member, our families and staff, and especially our constituents while visiting the nation's capital. I also want to thank each and every officer in the United States Capital Police.
▶ 0:34:45Each member of Congress is keenly aware of your diligent efforts that and that many of you of your heroic actions are never made public. But please know that you are seen and appreciated. We appreciate your recent successes in multiple back-to-back national security uh national special security events such as the 60th inaugural ceremonies and the most recent president joint address.
▶ 0:35:11While we certainly appreciate and have come to expect these successes, we also recognize the continued success in your mission requires some change, some refocusing and retraining, and especially increased consistency and vigilance. We will learn in more detail from Chief Manger in his testimony over the past months. Capitol Complex has experienced several security lapses in which members of the public and even staff members have entered our buildings with items that are pro prohibited but have gone undetected by our officers.
▶ 0:35:41These these bridges uh breaches are unacceptable and cannot be permitted to That being said, we do not want a few human errors to wipe out our uh your record of success in keeping our safe. Additionally, I want to note that the safety and security of the Capitol complex does not solely rest on the soldiers of our capital police officers. As members, staff, and visitors, we have an obligation to understand the safety protocols of the Capitol Complex and to follow them.
▶ 0:36:12Recently, the ser the house sergeant-at-arms shared a communication reminding all of us of our responsibility to cooperate with law enforcement by ensuring that we do not attempt to bring prohibited items onto the premises and following our sec other security practices. We have copies of this document at the hearing today and I encourage members and their staff to reinforce these expectations with your colleagues as well as your constituents. It is when we all work together that we can have and ensure the greatest level of safety for us.
▶ 0:36:42Chief Manger, we appreciate your partnership as we have worked to ensure the capital campuses remain secure and safe for Congress's essential legislative operations and for the millions of visitors who come to see the democracy in action in the United States capital. I look forward to your testimony. I now yield to the ranking me uh ranking member Mr. Espot for his opening remarks. Thank you.
▶ 0:37:06Uh, Chairman Balladeo, um, thank you for your work and your, uh, desire to continue to work in a bipartisan manner. I also want to thank our ranking member, Rosa Deloro, for joining us today and extend my gratitude to the officers of the Capitol Police for their service. And of course, you, Chief, you've been tremendous.
▶ 0:37:31You've been someone that has never said no or wish came when we asked you to come. Always transparent with your answers. Uh a leader among the work the police uh Capitol police officers, the men and women of the Capitol Police. Someone that um I acknowledge that you 103 IG recommendations and six GAO recommendation.
▶ 0:37:57an achievement that reflects your commitment uh to the institution and the security of the of the campus. Congratulations on your requirement. Welld deserved. And whereas um my chairman uh acknowledge the work that you done uh in the inaugural and other ceremonies. I also want to acknowledge perhaps the one moment where the men and women of your department show the leadership and the patriotism that we're all very proud of.
▶ 0:38:27And that was January 6 when you defended our lives. You defended the lives of visitors and staff uh working in our offices. But most importantly, irregardless of what party we we're with, you defended all of us.
▶ 0:38:43And and the other day I was uh walking through Longworth uh just outside of the Ways and Means Committee where members of Congress of the House of Representatives huddled both Republicans and Democrats I made at when they were cap kept safe there and I saw one of the aggressors there that was arrested and released having a major press conference. I felt appalled about that, but I wanted to distinguish your service today.
▶ 0:39:12And uh I want to express uh also my disappointment that a plaque honoring the officers who protected us in the capital has not yet been installed. This is really unexcusable. Today, we're here to discuss capital safety. Chief, since 2022, we have increased your budget to enhance the safety of the Capitol complex. Recent security breaches particularly in building entrances have been unacceptable.
▶ 0:39:40I'm sure that both of us are working here to improve on that. We cannot allow weapons or ammunitions to enter campus and we cannot tolerate lapses in security protocols. So everybody's life will be in danger.
▶ 0:39:54again visitors uh people that work for us and for the country as well as members and the Capitol campus although better secure under your leadership still has uh many challenges uh uh security requires partnership and I am confident that the chairman chairman Balladeo and I will work together to uh try to accomplish uh that security yet when you requested fewer entry points for better control uh pressure was uh was
▶ 0:40:24put upon to reopen them. Officers risk their their lives daily. Uh yet honoring their sacrifice rem remains u um something important. Millions were spent repairing damage from January 6th. Yet those responsible were pardoned and welcome back. And unfortunately due to the recent partisan CR funding will be frozen for the next year. Leadership is about accountability.
▶ 0:40:51This hearing um ranking members should be a forum for solutions. Let's give the department the support it needs to correct course and secure the people's house. Chief, we look forward to hearing from you in the future and your plans. You're always welcome back here. Thank you so much for your service. I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Espott. And now I'd like to recognize ranking member of the full committee, uh, Miss Deloro, for her opening remarks. Thank you so much. Um, Mr.
▶ 0:41:21Chairman and ranking member Espayat, uh, thank you for holding this hearing and, um, there are so many accolades that we can and will bestow upon you, chief. It it's for for my purposes. Um, you reassure all of you.
▶ 0:41:39uh you reassure my family that I'm safe here and you take care of that and you've made it your life's work here and we are all grateful and we are indebted to you and to the uh uh to the Capitol police um every single day you know you're there for us and I can't tell you you know what that means and uh we don't say thank you enough uh to people for
▶ 0:42:10um their commitment, their courage. Uh they leave their homes, their families every day to come here and to protect all of us. And um uh it's not unnoticed. It is not unnoticed. Please understand that. And we do thank you for your service. Sometimes that that phrase doesn't mean as much as we would like it uh to mean.
▶ 0:42:33But we know we wish you well in retirement and we hope that you will be continue uh to be an adviser to what our direction should be uh should be here. Um uh you know um uh it's about the dedicated men and women of the Capitol Police protecting members of Congress, protecting our staff, all the workers in this complex. As my colleague mentioned, official business visitors, millions of tourists who visit Washington DC uh annually.
▶ 0:43:02You keep us safe within and around the Capitol grounds. Keeping capital complex buildings secure and the people within them safe. It is a matter of national security uh and thus a matter of utmost consequence to the American people. um the department to you, to the officers, to the support staff, uh thanks for protecting all of the people and this complex from all sorts of threats.
▶ 0:43:27And you probably know so much more than we do about what those threats are, but you guys handle it and your women handle it uh every every single day. Uh and you know, capital safety and security is a bipartisan priority. I look forward to discussing how this subcommittee can ensure we are making the proper investments in the department to ensure that taxpayers dollars are wisely and efficiently used to fulfill the capital police's mission.
▶ 0:43:54Uh however, there have been a number of challenges and some serious breaches of our security that must be addressed. I applaud the department for its actions in the wake of January 6, 2021. that breach of the Capitol and like so many others, I was one of the the members that was evacuated and uh and again protected by by the Capitol police and thank you for implementing many of the recommendations um made to prevent such an event from occurring in the future.
▶ 0:44:25Meanwhile, though there have been lapses in complex sec complex security that give us all great concern, the tolerable number of firearms entering the complex that are carried by anyone. But those explicitly authorized to do should be zero. It should not should be zero.
▶ 0:44:41We need to understand in explicit detail without divulging sensitive information why that has not been the case and what the department has done and will do and what the department needs from us to ensure these security lapses are not just minimized but completely eliminated.
▶ 0:44:57If there is daylight between what you believe needs to take place to keep the capital complex safe and what you and your department are being asked and required to do, we need to illuminate that and we need to understand the potential ramifications and Finally, I would like to know how working under a continuing resolution rather than a fullear funding bill that addresses current and near future needs and issues affects your operations and the safety and the security of the capital complex.
▶ 0:45:27It is regrettable that this committee failed to finish its job instead threw in the towel in my view on fiscal year 2021 funding 2025 funding bills. We were, and I can say that with some knowledge, we were on the brink of a bipartisan agreement between the four corners of the appropriations committees when the House majority decided to upend the process and pursue a partisan bill that does not meet the needs of any department or agency across the government and that instead handed
▶ 0:45:57a blank check to Elon Musk and to President Trump. I implore this committee, let's let us get back on track to work towards bipartisan consensus for this subcommittee's bill and the rest of the appropriations bills for 2026. I thank you and I yield back. Thank you, Rank Member Deloro. Um, Chief Manger, again, I apologize for the delay and keeping me waiting, but I appreciate you being here.
▶ 0:46:26Uh, your full testimony has been submitted for the record and you are now recognized to provide a summary of your written Thank you, Chairman Valdeo, Ranking Member Espott, Ranking Member Deloro, and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to provide an overview of the comprehensive steps the department has taken in light of recent security incidents. Any security failure is of grave concern to both me and my officers. These failures will not be tolerated.
▶ 0:46:55Each year, our department safely and effectively screens over 8 million staff and visitors who enter our office buildings, the libraries, the capital, and the CBC. However, in light of the recent security incidents, the department is implementing new measures to ensure security screening is as effective as possible, addressing human interactions, technology, and the careful use of artificial intelligence.
▶ 0:47:19The efforts that the department is undertaking are being made to ensure that the security failings that we have experienced do not happen again. After the first security screening incident, all officers assigned to our uniform services bureau receive mandatory training briefings related to security screening to reinforce the importance of always complying with training and policy. In addition, sergeants are now responsible for checking all of the posts under their supervision three times per shift.
▶ 0:47:48docu and documenting these checks. This ensures that our officials are getting out to directly observe the officers performing their screening functions. These same supervisors have already completed a postby post review of all of the screening sites to remove any potential distractions from each post. We're also implementing a new security screening virtual audit via our USCP cameras.
▶ 0:48:14The goal of this program is to have officials randomly select a security screening post that would be monitored virtually during random times each day for a period of one week. In addition, the department has assigned a lieutenant as the security screening program manager and this person is dedicated to ensuring the success of all of our security screening program initiatives.
▶ 0:48:36Starting this summer, all of our USB officers will have to take an updated security screening refresher training with an associated test. All USB officers will have to pass the test twice a year to maintain their certification to do security screening. The department is also in the process of restructuring some of the USB post rotations to ensure that officers are moving around and not standing at the same machine for a long period of time, leading to complacency.
▶ 0:49:05And the department has a team that is working on a best practices review of similar mission agencies such as US Secret Service, TSA, and the Federal Protective Service so that we can benchmark our training, equipment, testing procedures, and other items as a baseline to identify any additional opportunities to improve. We anticipate the completion of this assessment by April 4th. In addition to all of these efforts, the department is revamping its pre-screener officer training.
▶ 0:49:35This training is centered around detecting abnormal behaviors in people as they approach our screening points. This will be a mandatory 2-hour class and that yesterday. The Department Security Services Bureau is responsible for the security equipment and infrastructure. It's important to note that none of these screening failures that occurred this year were as a result of technology or equipment failures. They were human error.
▶ 0:50:01In each case, our technology correctly identified the prohibited item that was being brought through the screening process. Starting in 2024, the department installed artificial intelligence or AI software on all of our X-ray machines. This AI software assists assists officers with identifying prohibited items and weapons. This effort was completed in 2024 as a proactive measure to identify another way of assisting our officers who are visually looking at the X-ray machines.
▶ 0:50:30We continue working with the AI software vendor to incorporate functionality that will provide a more dramatic visual alert and automatically stop the X-ray belt when a prohibited item is identified. The development of an additional enhancement called image projection is also being planned. This will add a non-threatening image onto the X-ray screen that officers will have to observe and acknowledge.
▶ 0:50:55This will allow the department to collect data on how many times these images are detected so that the department can assess how well the officers are paying attention to the X-ray screens. The department anticipates completion and implementation of these enhancements to the AI technology. Uh in May of this year, Security Services Bureau is conducting an overall assessment on the use of all of our screening equipment, including enhanced screening portals at the CBC screening entrances.
▶ 0:51:25At the end of the day, these security lapses were an were not an equipment failure, not a training failure or a policy failure. They were in fact the hardest kind of failure to address, the human failure. In this threat environment, we don't get to have a bad day or make a mistake at our screening. I can assure you that I believe the efforts that I've described will address both human and technial technological errors that can cause these failures in the first place.
▶ 0:51:52With the continued support of the assistance of Congress, we will continue to meet our mission. I thank you for the opportunity to testify. Thank you, Chief Manger, uh your for testifying before this committee today. I will now now call on members based on seniority of those present when the hearing was called to order alternating between the majority and minority and then we'll call on members in order of their arrival. Each member will have five minutes.
▶ 0:52:18U I now recognize myself uh for my five minutes. Given the recent hum human human errors that led to the breaches in security that you mentioned in your testimony, what is the level of confidence that such failures will not happen again in the future? on the part of uh uh I think the Capitol Police um I think there is a a fair amount of confidence that we are addressing these failures.
▶ 0:52:49Anytime you look at uh when we looked at the three different failures and they were all different. Um uh we we uh we analyze how did this occur? You look at it through the lens of training, through policies, through equipment um and through supervision. And as you look through you you say where was the single point of failure where did it occur and what can we do to eliminate that single point of failure.
▶ 0:53:12So the the training that we're doing the uh technological enhancements that we we are um incorporating into the screening process um we are we are confident that this will um eliminate those single points of failure. All right. As you noted both in your testimony and your response to my prior question, you have taken a number of actions both in immediate uh for immediate change and near-term actions to improve the focus of the frontline officers at screening locations to address complacency and lack of attention.
▶ 0:53:42However, these issues seem to be systematic within the department. In a November 2023 uh US capital police officer of the uh inspector general report titled top management challenges facing the United States Capital Police fiscal year 2024. It was noted that strong integrated internal control systems are still needed. Further, the report noted that US Capital Police has historically tended to resolve individual issues rather than strengthening the underlying systematically weak controls causing the issues.
▶ 0:54:12With this observation in mind, what supervisory supervisory controls are you implementing to ensure that security breach issues uh do not reappear in the next two or even six So um all all of these uh actions that we've taken have either already occurred are or will be in place in the next month or two. So we're we're not this is not something that we're going to implement you know a year from now.
▶ 0:54:39Um the uh uh you know I think what the inspector general's report talked about was looking at um look at the looking at the issues more globally rather than well in this case it was the officer was distracted in this case the officer you know was on their phone or the officer missed this or that. So, we're trying again trying to look at how we can um use equipment the uh the equipment to help us.
▶ 0:55:07Um when the artificial intelligence alerts on a prohibited item, um it's still up to the officer. I mean, it it that's doing its job by alerting on that image. The officer still has to notice it. um the the um even when uh uh if a prohibited item comes through and the belt on the X-ray stops, the officer still has to take it still requires an officer to take some action.
▶ 0:55:32So, um we think that all of this is is trying to assist uh in that sort of single point of failure where one person could miss something and then you have a breach. Um we're uh whether it is getting equipment where you have more than one set of eyes on a monitor or um uh just having backups uh or you know where the equip where the equipment's helping you.
▶ 0:55:54All of this is is um in our hope in in our view addresses the IG's recommendation that look look at this as a bigger issue not just well what was wrong in this case or that case. All right. As you know, uh, this committee has met the request for some of the newer security technology with X-rays and magnetometers, but is there anything else out there that uh can improve screening efforts? We've seen that not all the enhanced screening portals are in use.
▶ 0:56:21Um, yes, there there there's always uh improving technology and I think that um the long term um I think that that's something that we need to take a serious look at. Uh but we also that one of the problems we have is that many of the the screening locations the uh in throughout the campus are not ideal. They're too small really for doing an adequate screening.
▶ 0:56:47When you look at the way things are laid out in the CBC that's as close to ideal as as we can get. Um you have enough room and and uh you're able to place officers in in the positions where they need to be. you don't have people congregating at an elevator that are mingling, you know, the nonc screen people with screened people. Um there's a lot of locations that it's not ideal. So even if we had better equipment, the equipment's either too heavy or too big or it's uh it just won't work.
▶ 0:57:16So long term, I think we do need to look at um all of the screening locations and see how we can improve them um so that they're uh laid out better for a better result. All right. Well, thank you. Uh, my time's expired and I now recognize ranking member Espay for his questions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 0:57:38Um, Chief uh, as you mentioned in in the uh, the recent security breaches, particularly at building entrances, have been uh, unacceptable. During your testimony, you discussed the use of artificial intelligence to ensure security screening is in effect is as effective as possible.
▶ 0:58:01As you may know, I I support the use of advanced technology, particularly artificial intelligence, to secure the campus. Um and so um it's somewhat mindboggling that as we move forward with artificial intelligence and other technologies that we cannot really adopt them and and be more secure.
▶ 0:58:24Uh can you update us on how advanced threat detection over open areas can help further secure our campus in this season of increased threats from loan actors? uh and um if there's anything that you can shed on the artificial intelligence component, we appreciate it. So, as I mentioned, we um we installed the artificial intelligence in our um X-ray machines last year.
▶ 0:58:50That artificial intelligence um there are advances every single day. In fact, yesterday I met with um the vendor who um provides us with the artificial intelligence and he talked about um the uh the testing that they're doing and and the improvements. then we will in in fact incorporate into uh into our make sure that we incorporate them into our machines.
▶ 0:59:12Um there's also a a um uh the ability to use uh artificial intelligence in other uh venues where not just at screening places but if you have demonstrations or you have um some sort of crowd that is make having creating some sort of disruption that the there's uh there's technology that we should explore um that would allow us to have some idea whether the folks
▶ 0:59:43in that crowd have a prohibited item or a weapon on them. So, all of this is is is technology I think that we need to continue to explore and um and my hope is that um we could get the support of of this committee and and frankly of of uh of Congress um using some of this technology. I know that there has been some hesitancy.
▶ 1:00:05For instance, um one of the things I would love to see us uh get to is um that as someone puts their their bag on the X-ray machine that there's a photo of the person that put the bag on the uh machine and a photo of the bag. So, you can link the two. Right now, um we have people, you know, you've got, you know, people in line, people are throwing their stuff on the bag.
▶ 1:00:29half the time you don't know whose bag belongs to who and uh we I you know things like that that we can I think be more precise and use the advancements in artificial intelligence to help us as you know and I'm sure the chairman remembers that one of my pet peeves is you know the fact that you know the cars are are swept in entrance to the capital but yes as a as the dogs are are sweeping the cars you have dozens of people walk runners and
▶ 1:01:00cyclists with backpacks going right in unimpeded. And so I'm hopeful that this artificial intelligence model that we're looking to implement could have like a full body scan of of these folks and and the campus itself will be better protected so that we're not wide open if you may. It's just a matter of having enough room to put that kind of technology at our screening uh locations. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. Thank you, Chief, again for your service. Mr. Aspot, Mr.
▶ 1:01:29Loa, you're recognized for your five minutes. Thank you, Chairman. Uh, Chief, thanks so much for being with us. Congratulations on your 45 years of service and your pending retirement. We appreciate what you do for us here at the capital and all your leadership over the years. Um, I want to get into some numbers. Uh, Chief, uh, data provided to my office shows there just under 2200 sworn officers in the capital police. That sound about right? That's correct. Yes. And, uh, and of those 2200 sworn officers, approximately 1,600 are rank and file police officers. Is that about right?
▶ 1:01:57Um, and of the 2200 sworn officers, approximately 210 are either sergeants or lieutenants. Is that about right? I think that that number is about right. Yes, I think I have it about 160 and 50 with respect to sergeants and lieutenants. Um, Chief, can you describe some of the interactions between the sergeants and lieutenants and the police officers they supervise, what leadership they demonstrate, just generally speaking, the roles and responsibilities of the sergeants and lieutenants as they uh interact with the POS.
▶ 1:02:25So any any s first of all um sergeants I think are are probably the the um are the best barometer of a of a culture of an organization. You look at the first line supervisors, you can tell a lot about an organization and sergeants lieutenants have both operational and administrative responsibilities.
▶ 1:02:43They're responsible for scheduling and and time sheets and you know all those kinds of things that will keep them in the office, you know, busy with paperwork, but they're also um uh responsible for the day-to-day operations of the officers under their uh supervision.
▶ 1:02:57And so what we expect is for those supervisors and what we've uh certainly one of the uh things we put into place um uh after these breaches is the officers the the officials have to get out of the office and uh spend more time at the screening locations making sure that the process and the officers are doing exactly what they're supposed to do.
▶ 1:03:18um that we we uh too often you find uh first-line supervisors um get caught up in all the paperwork and are not out doing as much supervision out in the field as they as they should, but they have the responsibility is both. I wasn't a I wasn't a cop, but I was a military officer for a little while. My dad and both my grandfathers were cops, so I have an appreciation for that first line supervisor concept. Can you describe a little more in detail about with specificity what how often do the sergeants go visit the watch stations? what are they looking for?
▶ 1:03:48What standards are they looking to uphold and enforce at the specific watch stations throughout the capital chief? So right now um in in the uniform services division and this is where all the uniformed officers um who which include all of the the uh screening points um they have been directed uh to uh they have they have a certification sheet that they've got to fill out three times a day at every post uh where they have folks under under their supervision working.
▶ 1:04:15So, um, we've mandated that this happen, uh, frequently. Um, do do I think it was occurring like that before? No, I don't. Um, this is this is forcing them to come out. So, at least three times a day, they are out supervising each post and documenting uh what they find. Great. And, um, and you said in your testimony earlier, and I appreciate you being very forthright with us on these breaches. You said in your testimony they were not a result of technology or process, but they're more human error related.
▶ 1:04:45Um, and you also mentioned these uh these breaches could have likely been prevented had established protocols have been properly followed. H how can you describe the job? You have 45 years of law enforcement experience. How can you how can you describe some of the standards and culture that you experienced in other jobs before you got here to the one that's here? And are there any differences between the two? And could any of those differences be improved upon, Chief? So, I think one of the issues that we're dealing with here is is human nature.
▶ 1:05:13Um, as uh in the previous jobs that I had in previous departments, um there was there was not the repetitive sort of uh assignment that we have here, especially if you're assigned to a screening post.
▶ 1:05:28And um so you know we've got to um ensure that we take in into consideration that fact that you know um the human attention span is different for different people but every single one of us has an attention span that and and it and as you fatigue um as you are involved in a repetitive um uh behavior it start you start to lose a little bit of focus.
▶ 1:05:52So, one of the things we looked at was how long are we going to keep people at a particular post, you know, sitting on an X-ray machine. Um, and so we're going to make sure that that that time is reduced to a point that nobody's there for hours on end, which which I don't I I don't know that any of us would would be able to, you know, retain the focus that that you we would want. Um, so, uh, I'm not sure if that answers your question, but but it does.
▶ 1:06:19And with the 15 seconds or so that remaining, attention span is something that uh that's important to us. Members of Congress too, you're in a unique position where members of Congress review your department's uh interactions with five or five or 10 seconds. What should we be focused on with our attention? You're not going to be here in a few months. Somebody else is going to fill your shoes. What guidance would you give us as you depart as to how to properly be the frontline supervisors for the brass of the the capital PD?
▶ 1:06:44I think that um uh just to to listen and consider you know not only just the ID IG's recommendations and o what you know some of the oversight folks you know will tell you but um the uh the officials the rank and file the leadership of this department have one focus and one mission and and you one of the things that when I got here I never in a million years would have recognized or or believed that about the dedication and the
▶ 1:07:14quality of of leadership that we have all through the ranks from you got patrol officers and and you know this from probably with from your family. You've got people that may not, you know, have the rank on their sleeves, but they are leaders in this department and you've got them at every rank in this department and u never question that the um the dedication that these men and women have to making sure this is a safe campus and that every one of you uh remains safe. But we all we all still recruit from the human race.
▶ 1:07:43And so um we we have to continue to try and make sure through training and accountability and and everything else we can use uh to make sure that we're giving uh these folks every opportunity to succeed. Thanks for your four and a half decades of leadership, Chief. We appreciate it. I yield. Mr. Quigley, you're recognized for five minutes. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Chief, for being here and for your Uh, I want to follow up on that line of question if I may.
▶ 1:08:13Giving them every opportunity to succeed. I would imagine that some of that would include feedback on what they're thinking. Is there an official process for an officer to give a feedback on a process or how to improve things or how they're feeling about something that's taken place? There is do they do does everyone take advantage of it? No.
▶ 1:08:40Um they still there's still folks unfortunately that feel like well I'm not going to open my mouth because I might get retaliated against or might piss this person off or whatever. The fact of the matter is we we just finished a departmentwide climate survey um where it was you know dozens and dozens of questions about um what goes on in the department and how people feel about different things.
▶ 1:09:03um you know uh uh we I I meet with the um and my leadership team meets with uh the FOP regularly and we get feedback. Um let me ask just let me just ask about two things that might have been on their minds. Uh you were here um I wasn't pulled out of the chambers right away. We're we were upstairs and got stuck for a while.
▶ 1:09:29Uh I tell everyone I wouldn't be here without the courage of the DC and the Capitol police on that day. Uh the fact that as the ranking member referenced, you know, we we actually passed legislation commemorating the heroism that took place that day and asked that a plaque be put up. Uh that still hasn't happened.
▶ 1:09:56However anybody feels about that, has there been feedback, some sense of how that might have impacted the morale of rank and file? I definitely think it it impacts morale. I mean, look, the the um the fact that um you know, January 6 was a was a pretty traumatic day for this for this campus and certainly how many officers were injured that day? At least 140, I believe. and and those that passed on the in the coming days.
▶ 1:10:24Say again, police officers who we lost in the coming days immediately thereafter. Uh we we lost a couple of them. Yes. But but this look um there there's there's a wide divergence of opinions about what occurred on January 6th. And u but I will tell you I know what my cops you know how they feel. And I've spent the last um four years trying to make sure that they know that their service was respected and and um that what they did was was honorable.
▶ 1:10:54And um but they well like with any you have some officers that feel um you know feel okay about everything that has occurred. You've got others that that look at look at the pardons and look at a bunch of other things and say and that that um you know well I guess people didn't care about us. The opinions run the gamut. Was there any attempt at checking morale as it affected was affected by the plaque or specifically the pardon?
▶ 1:11:24Um well I will tell I can't believe it was split 50/50 but you tell me how people react. you might um there no one asked those specific questions but I will tell you that I got an earful um with regard to the pardons and I made a statement to my officers and um and made uh couple public statements about the fact that um anytime and it doesn't m it doesn't matter who the president is what party it is anything a police officer who is assaulted um someone who assaults a police officer gets
▶ 1:11:54pardoned I think that cops all over this country would look at that and say what, you know, why are we doing what we're doing? Yeah, there's more things I want to talk about, but I I chairman, I I don't want to break it up and u get into that. Uh I just want to know that um I appreciate what the officers did that day. Um I had a firsthand view of it.
▶ 1:12:25uh want to thank them every day for that because I I think they save more than uh our lives but uh where our republic was at the time and uh we should put the plaque up um we're seeing now that those pardon many of them have been arrested since then and uh I I believe all that has done is encouraged others to act in a similar way in the future. So uh thank you again for your service and for being here today.
▶ 1:12:56Mr. Strong, your five minutes. Chief Manger, I want to thank you for your service to our nation for over 45 years and congratulate you on your upcoming retirement. Also want to extend my grad uh my gratitude to all of the offers officers that work tirelessly every day to protect our capital, ensuring the safety of elected officials, government employees, and visitors alike.
▶ 1:13:20I'm glad that we're holding this hearing today to address the recent security challenges faced on the Capitol complex and examine ways to enhance the preparedness of our officers. As a first responder for over four decades, I've seen firsthand how crucial preparedness and readiness are during uh crisis situations.
▶ 1:13:41While we can never predict every potential crisis, we must prepare, evaluate, and adapt our strategies to ensure our officers are ready to act swiftly and effectively when needed. Chief Manger, how do you uh assess the current training programs for Capitol Police officers to ensure that they are prepared for the wide range of potential threats that they face? I think they're good, but there's always room for improvement.
▶ 1:14:07We just did a uh uh learning needs assessment which is pretty global look at our training and and uh how it how it could be improved. But I will tell you specifically toward addressing these issues of the security breaches. Um I think that um our our uh our training is is solid. Uh our policy is is solid. Um it's just making sure that the officers um have this refresh. Look, if it's important, it's like firearms training. We do that twice a year.
▶ 1:14:37Well, now we're going to do the refresher training for the screening twice a year because it's that important. Okay. Uh you mentioned an update uh updated security screening refresher training for officers with mandatory testing twice a year. Can you walk us through the specific areas of security screening that will be tested and the plan to track and analyze the effectiveness of this reoccurring training? So um the screening there's there's a number of layers to screening. first.
▶ 1:15:04I mean, we we start the screening process before somebody even gets into the building. We've got pre-screeners outside that are watching people as they approach the building. We've got uh once they get in, um you've you they go through a magnetometer so that you can screen the person's uh the the person's body, their clothing that they're wearing. Um and then any packages that they have goes through uh screening as well. So, it's um so it's it's a it's a dual screening process of the person and any anything they have with them.
▶ 1:15:33Um, and uh, it's, you know, one of the one of the key things is that if something alerts, whether it's the X-ray machine or whether it's the magnetometer, you've got to find out what's making it alert and and you don't stop the screening process until you determine what's making an alert. I'd also like to focus on the procedures that directly uh, follow security failures such as the ones mentioned today. Can you describe the department's approach to post instant evaluation?
▶ 1:16:03Um, specifically, how do how do the Capitol Police debrief after an event and how do you apply lessons learned to future security planning? So, we put out um an afteraction uh report and we allow anyone who was involved in this from the the uh newest officer up to the the chief of police to uh uh have input on that afteraction report.
▶ 1:16:30Once we get all the comments from everybody who was involved, then we we use that to uh look at it through the lens of training, the lens of of uh supervision, through equipment, through all all of those uh different lenses to determine what we can do to to make sure that whatever went wrong is doesn't happen again. And whatever went right, you know, that's right, does happen again.
▶ 1:16:52Switching gears a bit, your testimony uh mentioned that the security screening failures this year were due to human error despite technology correctly identifying prohibitive items. Uh how do you balance the role of technologies such as the introduction of AI and X-ray machines and officers critical oversight and decision making responsibilities to avoid becoming overly reliant on automated systems? U Mr. strong.
▶ 1:17:19That is is a question that we have talked about and an issue that we've talked about quite a bit over the last couple of months. And um I think it it has to do with training. It has to do with instilling uh this notion in the office that it's not their job to look at a screen. It's their job to make sure that no prohibited items get into the building.
▶ 1:17:38and just to just to to approach the training uh in such a way that they understand the importance that AI is a tool these these this equipment is a tool but it's up to them they they have the final um responsibility to make sure nothing prohibited gets through thank you chief in a perfect world staffing canine morale vehicles equipment technology weapons tactics communication what one thing would you change right
▶ 1:18:08now if you could. You know, 46 years of being a cop, I'm telling you, um uh I would uh if there was a way that I could make cops understand people do in fact appreciate what they do. It's not us versus them.
▶ 1:18:31It is um that we are all part of this community that where that the Capitol police play a unique role in the in in the congressional community and to to understand that to take pride in that to and take and take that pride in in in their workmanship and translate that into making sure they're doing the best job that they can do. Just and so it really comes down to making sure these cops know how much they're appreciated. You got it. Thank you, Chief.
▶ 1:18:58And I think each of those that work under your direction, you've done a phenomenal job. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you, Representative Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chief Major, thanks for being here. Thank you for your 40 plus years of public service. Um, everybody said it, but congratulations on your retirement.
▶ 1:19:18Um, I really appreciate what you and your officers do here and I love that we welcome the public into our buildings and I know that you all have a responsibility to keep me, my colleagues and our staff safe. So, I recognize that you're balancing a lot of factors. Um, I think you do a really great job of it. Um, but as you pointed out, every one of the breaches was human error and I recognize that officers are human. We're all human.
▶ 1:19:48Um, and I'm guessing that humans who enjoy their work environment and feel appreciated are probably more conscientious at what they do. And and we all want to see your officers be conscientious and successful at what they do. So, I've been sitting here listening to all the questions. Sorry, I've got a little bit of a cough.
▶ 1:20:11And I'm concerned that there might be a temptation on the part of leadership in the Capitol Police to make changes to satisfy us that might hurt morale in the force. Um, and so I just and at the end here with a few minutes left, I want to give you a chance to talk about that. Sorry, but let me set the stage for you just a little bit. The technological improvements you talked about sound great, but every breach was human error. The increased training sounds good, too.
▶ 1:20:40But as I was listening, things like increasing the rotations and changing the setup at these uh checkpoints might make officers feel like they're being policed and treated like children. And we see the same officers a lot. We build up a good rapport with them. There are 438 of us and a lot of staff. And when people are at the same places a lot, they see us a lot and they recognize people.
▶ 1:21:04Can you just speak to how these changes in how personnel are handled might handle or might impact morale on the force? So I it is not lost on me that we had these three breaches but that 99.999% of my officers were not involved in any of those. They made no mistakes. Right. And so when everybody had to go through the training, believe me, I I I understood the fact that a lot of them said, "What did I do wrong?" And because they did nothing wrong.
▶ 1:21:33Um, so I I I think it's important for leadership to be consistent. Um, this is not about um I I will tell you that um uh again been a cop a long time and and even good cops make mistakes sometimes and when you make a mistake um it it it shouldn't start off with um oh you know um you're going to get disciplined or whatever. first mistakes um that that people make and it depends on the nature of the mistake and and all that sort of thing.
▶ 1:22:03But um all of these uh accountability measures that we're putting in um I want I want it to start with training then if the people make mistakes then counseling just say hey you know you did this this and then you would you know after that you would get into okay well do we need to look at some sort of of discipline or whatever but I think training and counseling are where the the um emphasis needs to be um as we uh additional accountability measures where officer
▶ 1:22:33you know, might uh find themselves, oh, you know, gee, I looked at my phone momentarily when I wasn't supposed to be looking at my phone. And you know, okay, well, you know, you understand why you don't do that. Don't do it. And nobody, you know, so we're trying to be reasonable with with these measures and not uh punitive with these measures. Thank you. I appreciate that. It's also not lost on me what you just said that um when officers feel like they're appreciated, they do a better job.
▶ 1:23:02and if you could do anything, it would be to make sure they know that that we appreciate them. So, I just I've got one minute left on the record. I just want to say how much I appreciate what you all do and the professionalism of the officers that I interact with every day. Um, and I hope that you will convey that back to your team and I hope whoever your predecessor is will work with us to make sure that we have a good working relationship because we all work here in the same place together every day. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 1:23:33Thank you. And I second what Miss Mallaloyy's comments. Obviously, we here members, all my colleagues do appreciate the service of our Capital Police officers and we want to make sure that uh we address some of the things that have happened. But, uh we agree 100% Capitol police officers uh have done an amazing job and I've always felt safe here because of the the hard work that they do for us uh and for our constituents. So, thank you uh for taking time today. And again, I apologize for being late.
▶ 1:24:01Obviously, uh we're trying to honor u a past uh chair of this committee who a lot of us hold uh in pretty high regard. Um and that ended up not working out. So, I think they're going to reschedule for the end of the week. But, uh if there are no further questions, thank you for one your service and congratulations on your retirement and for testifying here today. Uh and thank you to all our cap police officers who are here and those who are out working. Uh and members may submit any additional questions for the record.
▶ 1:24:31And this committee now stands