▶ 0:08:54The subcommittee will come to order. I'd like to thank ranking member Espott and our subcommittee members for being here today. Chief Manger, welcome back. And while we know you're looking forward to a retirement, we appreciate your willingness to extend your time with us while we search for your successor. We look forward to your testimony today.
▶ 0:09:12The purpose of today's hearing is to review the United States Capital Police fiscal year 2026 budget request, which is 9.67 million, a 20% increase over the enacted fiscal year 2025 CR. The requested funding supports continued growth uh to both sworn and civilian personnel nearly 14% over fiscal year 2025 levels and an increase of nearly 26% in general expenses.
▶ 0:09:38While I intend to keep my comments brief, I want to thank uh thank you again this thank I want to thank you again for this opportunity to express our continued gratitude uh to our officers of the United States Capital Police. Thank you to all you do to keep our campus safe for all those who visit and work here. I now yield to ranking member Espot for his opening remarks. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh thank you, Chief Manganger. congratulations on your uh retirement.
▶ 0:10:07Um you're always welcome to come back to each and every one of our sessions if you like. You don't even have to come in uniform, chief. Uh but I hope you do enjoy your retirement and thank you for uh securing the the capital and making it priority um of the men and women in your force.
▶ 0:10:27I know that for fiscal year 2026, the Capitol Police has requested $967 million, which is an increase of 176 million or 22% over the the frozen 2024 enacted level provided in the fullyear continuing resolution. This is a big ask and it seems that much of this increase was compounded by the unfortunate enactment of a fullear continuing resolution.
▶ 0:10:57I'm interesting to hear on the impacts of the CR on your request. I do recognize that you need more to keep us safe and I I commend you for your commitment to do that. I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Chief Manger, your full testimony has been submitted for the record and you are now recognized to provide a summary of your written testimony.
▶ 0:11:24Thank you, Chairman Valadeo, Ranking Member Espad, and members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to present the United States Capital Police FY26 budget. Over the past four years, the USCP has experienced tremendous growth. Since 2021, we there have been significant changes to increase the department staffing levels and our security posture and to modernize technology. So, I need to acknowledge at the outset that the department's FY26 budget request is substantial. It's close to $1 billion.
▶ 0:11:54I recognize that there are other police departments of a similar size whose budget is not as large as ours, but we're not an ordinary law enforcement agency. The UCP is unlike any traditional police department. In fact, our mission incorporates elements similar to the FBI, the US Secret Service, and the Federal Protective Services. Moreover, while the officers that you see on and around the Capitol Complex represent a large portion of the department's workforce, the full scope of our duties far exceeds that of the officers and agents stationed at physical posts.
▶ 0:12:24Much of the work performed by the department staff, both sworn and civilian, goes well beyond the capital grounds. Significantly, much of the our mission requirements simply did not exist four years ago. I cannot sufficiently emphasize that point. Following nearly 20 afteraction reports and a and a 140 total recommendations, the department's mission expanded exponentially and continues to expand.
▶ 0:12:51As a result of the 103 recommendations issued by the US Capitol Police Inspector General, the department had to respond to and implement recommendations that span the gamut in complexity from equipping every officer with riot gear to developing the departmentwide uh policies and expanding operational planning to strengthen the department's training functions. As a result of these recommendations, the department has taken on new responsibilities and created new divisions and teams that did not previously exist in the department.
▶ 0:13:22Member security concerns and major operational planning have driven the need for additional resources and staffing. The increased threat climate is perhaps one of the biggest drivers of the department's continuing need for additional resources. This past year alone saw threats against members increase to a staggering 9,400 in one year. The current threat environment has resulted in additional member protective responsibilities which have increased by 27% since 2023.
▶ 0:13:49This includes the continuation of sunset details and the addition of short-term threatbased details, increased requests for member escorts and security monitoring at regional airports, additional technical surveillance countermeasure inspections which have increased by nearly 400% since 2021.
▶ 0:14:07member residential and capital complex security assessments which have almost doubled since 2021 and the request for law enforcement coordination assessments which have increased by 159% since 2022. The department created a new standalone intelligence services bureau which did not exist four years ago.
▶ 0:14:26Our reorganization also created the office of standards and training operations which allows the department to centralize its training policy development and inspections and controls functions all recommendations issued by the IG. The department also created additional operational components such as a rapid response team that can be deployed to support events and demonstrations, disruptions at hearings, critical incidents or calls for service.
▶ 0:14:53And significantly, the protection intelligence operations center or PIO is a state-of-the-art fusion center for the intake and coordination of member threats, related investigations, and the new newly established residential security program. None of these components existed four years ago. They are all new. They are all musthaves in our current threat environment. The department's FY26 budget request builds upon the accomplishments achieved over the past four years.
▶ 0:15:21It includes $687 million to fund salaries and benefits, $255 million to fund general expenses, and 25 million in multi-year funding to support the continuation of the department's mutual aid program.
▶ 0:15:35Over the past four years, other workload demands have skyrocketed, including security assessment briefings to member offices, criminal investigations, the execution of search and arrest warrants nationwide, technical surveillance, countermeasure inspections, residential security, committee hearing, security coverage, deployment of threat-based protection details, and other operational mission requirements to keep members, their families, and staff out of harm's way.
▶ 0:16:01I can't stress strongly enough that the department's protection responsibilities do not end at the Capitol campus borders. The department is statutoily entrusted with nationwide protection responsibilities of members, requirements that it cannot undertake without the support and resources of partner law enforcement agencies. Thus, the department is asking Congress to renew the mutual aid funding.
▶ 0:16:24The mutual aid program also provides additional protect protective detail coverage to enhance member security in their home districts by coordinating with state and local law enforcement to provide residential security and support events. The department expects to reach approximately 2530 sworn personnel by the end of FY26.
▶ 0:16:45While this represents optimal staffing levels, the department needs to continue efforts to balance its workload, specifically between the uniformed operations and protective intelligence operations. By the end of FY27, I feel confident that the department will reach target sworn staffing levels across its organizational entities. The department is tasked with ensuring that members of the capital complex staff and visitors remain safe and secure and must do so on a campus that is entirely open and accessible to all.
▶ 0:17:15There is no other federal government building with a comparable public access policy. I recognize the fiscal environment that we're in, but the department cannot provide all of the services requested and required if it is not sufficiently funded. I want to thank the members of this committee for your trust and support. It is through our joint partnership that the department has achieved such transformational change. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today and I look forward to your questions. Thank you Chief Major for your testimony.
▶ 0:17:44Um now we'll enter the portion question and answer portion. Uh I'll call on members based on seniority of those present uh when the hearing was called to order alternating between majority and minority and uh then we'll call on members in order of their arrival. Each member will have five minutes. I'll first recognize myself for my five minutes. Um, Chief Manger, as you mentioned in your statement, the department is asking for almost a billion dollars in funding for fiscal year 2026 request.
▶ 0:18:11I appreciate the points you've shared with us to justify a significant request, especially uh the data regarding the increase in number of threats to members of Congress. However, I understand that you first assess these potential threats into categories uh depending upon their risk level as a direction of interest or a direct threat. Can you share the number of credible threats to members during fiscal year 24 that actually required a significant level investigation by your officers?
▶ 0:18:37Well, I don't have the exact number and I can get it for you, but it's it's hundreds uh hundreds of of investigations that we uh undertake um that meet that level of of being a criminal threat against a As you know, when uh when you were appointed chief of capital police, you we were experiencing a shortage of sworn officers from fiscal year 2021 to current pay period in fiscal year 2025.
▶ 0:19:01348 officers have joined the force your fiscal year 2026 uh budget proposes after accounting for the expected attrition uh request to add another 187 officers. Can you please share what the current 340 348 officers have been assigned to do and why with the assumption of the 187 new officers coming on board, you are still requesting a 9.8 million in overtime in fiscal year 2026. Yes.
▶ 0:19:28Um so the um uh we have the optimal staffing levels for our uniform services that's around 1,600. Um we have optimal uh staffing for our dignitary protection which is 530 agents. Um we also have assorted people in special operations, specialty assignments, K-9, um bomb squad, uh cert those those kinds of of operational uh entities.
▶ 0:19:54Um so we we've the the uh the additional people will go toward getting those other operational entities up to their optimal staffing level. a real focus on dignitary protection because that is where our overtime and the the um the hitting against the maximum allowable pay rate um is the biggest issue. uh the the um uh overtime in the uh uniform services.
▶ 0:20:20Um that uh much of that goes toward this the um big events and we had over 200 um uh uh big events last year where it required uh deployment of our civil disturbance folks um and other uh special um uh special teams.
▶ 0:20:41the um uh we we have opened up additional um mags and and screening portals to try and cut down on some of the lines um as well. That's been done on overtime. Uh so we still have a number of things that and and training is actually the biggest um overtime uh driver. Um we we've got to do a better job in terms of training. That's one of the areas where we have really improved.
▶ 0:21:07but that every time you take an officer off off their post, off the line, out of their assignment for training, you've got to backfill it with overtime. So, until we get uh staffing levels up to where we hope to get them to the optimum levels that I discussed, um we're still going to be paying every time every you know, we just will have no reserves for when people go to training or when we have to um uh support a a large event. Appreciate that.
▶ 0:21:35What is the correct number of officers to properly execute the US capital police mission to be responsive to the security needs of the Capitol campus? So right now um what we um I think it's 2530 is what we sworn officers that did not obviously does not include civilians.
▶ 0:21:52Um it's about 1,600 USB, 530 DPD, and then 400 other which are mostly special operations, but there's a lot of specialty assignments and training and that sort of thing where we have sworn officers as well. All right. In the full year enacted fiscal year 2025 CR, the committee continued to provide funding specifically for the officer retention and student loan repayment plan. Are these measures helping you retain officers? Have you seen attrition numbers decrease? Um we've not seen attrition numbers increase.
▶ 0:22:22We've seen them decrease and they absolutely have um assisted us in keeping officers um uh not only uh they wait till the till they hit the age limit to retire um but we've got um uh folks that would uh that don't even think about going to another agency because of uh of the retention bonus. So, it's had a it's had a very very positive uh impact on our uh attrition rate. All right. Well, thank you, Chief. Uh I'm now going to recognize Mr.
▶ 0:22:52Espot for his uh five minutes. Uh thank you, Chairman. Um as I stated in my opening statement, uh this is a significant increase. Uh but given the uh uh the needs uh of your department, I think it's one that is a warranted one.
▶ 0:23:11But I what I do want to find out is if if in any way, shape, or form uh this increase was compounded by the the enactment of a fullear continuing resolution. I'm inter I'm interested in knowing the kinds of impact that it had on your ass, the fact that we we recently passed the CR uh for a year.
▶ 0:23:34So um there there are certain uh responsibilities that we have that we we cannot uh sherk and it's certainly um uh I think the overtime was was uh impacted um in terms of making sure we had enough people for the day-to-day activities making sure we had people at every post and making sure people um uh engaged in in the required training that that they had to go to.
▶ 0:24:00Um there were there were other things that we could just sort of postpone if you know whether it's equipment, whether it's vehicles, whether it's um you know some of the things that we could say, okay, we're going to wait for a year. But that has an impact um and it starts to um uh and it's not a good one. I mean we don't want to get in a situation as we were in four years ago where we had equipment that was was not up to date. Um you've got we we just um the uh uh screening equipment. There's always improvements that we can make.
▶ 0:24:30We want to use the state-of-the-art uh equipment and when we if we have to postpone getting that state-of-the-art equipment, making the improvements to um the the um screening process, that has an impact as well. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Espot. Now, I'll recognize uh Mr. Strong for his five minutes. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member. Uh Chief Manger, it's great to see you again. Thank you for making yourself uh accessible to this subcommittee.
▶ 0:25:01We continue to examine the important work of the US Capital Police. Your leadership and commitment to the safety of our capital complex and his people are truly appreciated. As you mentioned in your testimony, the mutual aid program uh has been key in enhancing the security of the capital complex and members residences.
▶ 0:25:21Could you discuss your plan to further strengthen these partnerships with local and state law enforcement given the growing need for protective detail and special security events? So, just in the last couple of years, if you look at the number of memorandums of understanding that we have with state and local um law enforcement agencies, that number is just going up exponentially. And uh I thank uh Chief Mitchell who's who's sitting behind me.
▶ 0:25:46her work has been uh she's been all over that and in is is going to continue to ensure that that number of those number of agreements that we have with those agencies continues to grow. Frankly, um we we could have uh and should have hundreds of them, maybe even even over 500 of them, you know, to to for every member at their, you know, whatever jurisdiction they live in to have that agreement just in case. So, I think eventually you you'll see that number grow into the hundreds.
▶ 0:26:17On the topic of uh collaboration, what are some ways the Capitol Police coordinates with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies to identify and mitigate threats before they escalate? Well, I I appreciate you mentioning the the the intelligence component of that. I mean, because four years ago, we we had a that was one of the criticisms of this department was um our intelligence operation. Today I believe that we have a world-class intelligence operation.
▶ 0:26:43We are a very active member of the intelligence community in the not only in the Washington DC area but but uh nationwide. So the um the the intelligence information that we gather that we analyze that we share with not only other agencies but with with certainly all of our personnel as well um is is I think working at a uh at at an amazing uh level.
▶ 0:27:08Uh but the um the cooperation that we have with law enforcement agencies around the country um continues to to allow us to do our job much much better. Uh when we can call anywhere in the country and talk to a law enforcement agency to get their assistance if a member has an event in their home state um or if something's occurring at that member's residence.
▶ 0:27:30you know, we've got the the the trend that you're seeing, of course, and and have have been seeing uh is these demonstrations and and uh disruptions at at uh not only events but at people's residents. Those are the kind of things that we need to uh respond to very uh very um uh effectively so that that doesn't continue. Thank you. And we're all thankful for local law enforcement, what they do to protect us all. Now, let's focus on staffing for a moment. Uh we're talked about it right at a billion dollar budget.
▶ 0:28:01Uh talking about a 20% increase and you're managing some uh 2530 sworn officers. While there's been a significant focus on increasing sworn officer numbers, the civilian workforce is uh equally critical uh to the department's operation. Chief Manger, can you elaborate on the role civilian staff play within the department and how you're planning to continue utilizing the workforce as the mission expands? So, I I thank you for for bringing that up as well.
▶ 0:28:30I mean, the the sworn component of our um department is really uh uh the backbone of of what we do. um you it touches every um every aspect of our operations um where because you've got to have people that are um ensuring that logistics, ensuring equipment, ensuring the hiring uh that that goes on um the just the budget, the procurement, all of those things are are handled by our civilian workforce.
▶ 0:28:59And they uh I I can't say enough good things about them. They they truly make sure that our operations are as effective as they can be. Thank you. As the Capitol Police's mission continues to evolve, the growing emphasis on specialized roles in areas such as uh protective operations, intelligence analysis underscores the need for the advanced training. How does the department ensure it has the right expertise and staffing in these areas?
▶ 0:29:26And are there any new training initiatives or programs planned to emphasize these specialized capabilities? Uh the answer to that question is yes. Um we just uh have uh finished a a learning needs assessment for of our training division and it's identified uh a number of um of areas that we need to improve.
▶ 0:29:47Um, not the least of which is we do uh you have um inservice training which is required for every single police officer um every any sworn officer every year. We're doing the minimum that we h we have to do and we do it most and it's at the minimum level because of the impacts on overtime and staffing and everywhere else. We've got to uh have a better inservice training program that does more than just the minimum that's required. So that's one area where we're going to see improvement.
▶ 0:30:15um the leadership development um and and career enhancement opportunity that kind of training for all of our staff and and leadership development for our executive and command staff um are also areas that we want to uh that we want to focus on. Um it also identified um the fact that our uh training facility is deficient. Um we need more space and our training staff needs to grow.
▶ 0:30:40Uh again, we're doing um whether it's it's the the recruit training, the inservice training, specialized training, um we we're doing it with a barebone staff. In answer to part of your question, I mean, we do get um hire some outside experts to come in as contractors to to instruct our folks, but it'd be in my opinion, it's better to have that expertise inhouse and um we develop that and we also are able to to um uh hire uh some folks to come in to to help us train as well.
▶ 0:31:09Thank you, Chief uh Manger. I also commend you for a dedication of your life to per uh public safety and I wish you nothing but the very best in your retirement. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Strong. I now yield uh five minutes to Mr. Hoyer. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Uh I want to join Mr.
▶ 0:31:28strong and I know all the members of this committee on on thanking you for your service not only to the Capitol Police and the United States capital and the citizens of the United States but also your experience in Fairfax County where you rose to be chief and Montgomery County where you were chief uh and it's just been an extraordinary career and and president of the chiefs of major cities. So you are really one of the the best of the best. So thank you very much for your service. Let me ask you a question chief.
▶ 0:31:57you you've been in three Um morale is a important uh facet of any department. Uh tell me uh if you can the impact of the because you mentioned four years you've had a lot of changes in what needed to be done.
▶ 0:32:13uh the the ramifications of the pardons given to those who committed the insurrection in January of 20 21 and the ramifications of those pardons to the morale of the Capitol police.
▶ 0:32:34I think there was an impact to um uh not only to the Capitol police, but an impact nationwide when you see folks that are pardoned and and I'm I'm really referring to the ones that were um uh that were convicted of assaulting police officers. I think that's what what bothered um uh most cops. Um and uh it did certainly have an impact on on the USCP.
▶ 0:32:57we we're um uh you know we we've got so much um so much change you know that the officers are uh experiencing over the last four years. So I'm trying to keep them focused on on moving forward. Um but you know I I certainly and I it certainly did um uh have have a negative impact on you know about for cops all over this country and you wonder you know with you you put your life on the line every day and does it matter? Yeah.
▶ 0:33:26Um, how how has impacted retention and recruitment? I know we're at 2350. Uh, you you need more. Uh, you're asking for a budget to create more to solve some of the problems we have in I've heard from a lot of officers on the overtime. That's a real challenge to families as well as to the officers themselves. Uh can you comment on the retention and and uh recruitment impact?
▶ 0:33:55Yeah, the the um the retention bonus that we've been able to um uh give to our officers over the last three years has really made a significant difference in uh in getting the uh attrition level uh decreased. And so you've got more officers staying. Um it's certainly been a help to in terms of recruiting as well.
▶ 0:34:15I mean, the the the changes this committee has approved over the four years I've been here to increase the starting salary, increase the pay for uh for the capital police, um along with the retention bonus, along with the student loan repayment program, all of those things. Um uh you know, you add that to the to what we we describe to these uh young folks that are looking for a career in law enforcement is to having a front row seat to history when you join the Capitol Police.
▶ 0:34:41Um it's all been a very successful um uh endeavor uh in terms of allowing us to to recruit and retain officers. Well, that's good. And hopefully we'll continue uh to support that effort because that's critical obviously to having the not only the personnel numbers but also the quality of people that we can recruit and retain.
▶ 0:35:04Last question I want to ask you is during the January 6th uh insurrection, we had real problems with chain of command for those of us who were involved in the leadership. Uh Senator McConnell and others had real discussions about what the chain of command is under those circumstances, who's in charge.
▶ 0:35:31Can you tell me uh how how well you think we've arrived at an of how that response to an effort effort like that hopefully we won't have another one but if we had one how the chain of command works with respect to federal uh armed forces police metropolitan and surrounding jurisdictions.
▶ 0:35:54So, um, one of the things that, uh, Congress did right after, um, uh, the events of of January 6, 2021 was to give the the, um, Capitol Police Chief the authority to directly contact National Guard and and request assistance. Um, this has been uh that was a a a great uh step forward and in fact, I have uh in in the time that I've been here, I've always maintained a very close relationship with the uh, uh, general in charge of the National Guard.
▶ 0:36:23We have a great relationship and in fact have have um uh utilized their services on a number of occasions for for different types of events and uh it's it's a great relationship and and it allows um for very orderly request and deployment if we need that. The relationship between the Capitol Police and the uh surrounding law enforcement agencies both federal and local um uh has is is I think at a at a level where it needs to be.
▶ 0:36:51I mean we have a great relationship um and with a phone call we can get what uh what whatever resources that we need. And then finally the uh part of the uh um improvements that were made uh was the um uh operational planning that we did which was certainly lacking um pri you know uh um prior but the operational planning we do for big events for just routine events is at a level that it should
▶ 0:37:22be. It's formal. It is written and um there's it's it people can look at this plan for we we and we did a this kind of plan for over 200 events last year and you can see who's in charge who who's assigned doing to do what and so certainly within the capital police there's no question about the the chain of command and who's who has responsibility for what. Good. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh I now recognize Miss Mallaloy for her five minutes.
▶ 0:37:54Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Hi, it's good to see you again. Thank you for what you've done. Um, and I I just want to follow up on what my colleague just said about hoping that you feel like it's worth it that you all show up at work every day and put your lives on the line for us. Thank you for that. Um, we we work side by side with you every day and I I recognize that we're probably a fairly difficult clientele.
▶ 0:38:20Thank you for the professionalism that you and your officers show with us and with the Um, you said earlier that you are fully confident by 20 FY27 you'll be fully staffed. And we had a another hearing right before this where my colleague Mr. Strong asked if we're going to get more entrances and exits open to the buildings. And they said that's a question for Capitol Police. Does fully staffed mean more entrances and exits open?
▶ 0:38:48Yeah, I think most of the um most of them are are open. I mean, we we there may be a couple here or there. One of the keys for us is to try and maximize the space we have. And that's one of the problems that so many of the screening areas, uh so many of the doors, so to speak, they're not really ideally suited to be a screening area.
▶ 0:39:08And so we could, if you could put a second X-ray machine, a second mag in there, put the the the better equipment, the more state-of-the-art equipment, which requires a little bit more room. Look at the CBC. I mean, that that's really designed nicely. Boy, wouldn't be it would it be great if every every entrance that we had where we were screening people was like that. And that would cut down on the lines and and uh so uh you know, the additional staffing would get us to a point where we could do this without paying over. Right now, we're doing it with with overtime.
▶ 0:39:38Um so uh but um there's there's other things too that are more physical limitations that we need to look at as well. Okay. Thank you. Um over the past few years it seems like the department's using perimeter fencing a lot more the anti-scale fencing, parade fencing. Uh what's the decision process to determine when that's required? So it it depends on the event. It depends on the level of risk.
▶ 0:40:04Um and uh we we've got criteria that are fairly that are standard. Um I I would I would say that we typically we only use it once or twice a year. Now I know for the state of the union address um we we use it um the my and for me the justification is you've got every branch of government all three branches of government most of the people you know in one place.
▶ 0:40:31Um we we certainly are are have been in a heightened threat environment for the last few years and um uh the we uh I think it's prudent to we put it up one day it's and then we take it down the next. Uh so it's not as obtrusive as it was. And I believe me I get that nobody likes defensive. I don't either.
▶ 0:40:51But I think for big events like that where where we had uh where we had the uh prime minister of Israel um uh last summer um we had thousands and thousands of of people show up and and it was about the angriest crowd that I've seen here in my in my four years here and uh very uh we had uh some episodes of violence. We certainly had arrests.
▶ 0:41:12We had and um so and with the intelligence that we had about what some of the protesters had there were there was chatter about um in terms of doing harm to the to the prime minister. Um I think again it was prudent to do to take the measures that we took. So when you do take the measures you put up fence take it down efficiently. That's true. Um whose budget does that come out of? Well um typically uh it's a secret services budget.
▶ 0:41:38um if they're recommending for the state of the union secret it's my understanding that secret service pays for that. Okay. Um and I in your testimony that you've kind of answered this already. I just want to give you a chance to fully answer it. You talked about the the problems in 2021 that that made it hard to recruit and and retain officers. Uh do you feel like those problems have been solved? I know you have more FTEEs now than you did then.
▶ 0:42:07Um I think I think well look we we had a um 103 IG recommendations. Every one of those recommendations have has been uh implemented and resolved. Um if you if you were to ask um you know I got thousands of cops couple thousand cops. If you'd ask them you know have all the problems been solved you'd get a variety of answers. Everything from yeah everything's fine to to to folks that would say no nothing's fine.
▶ 0:42:31Um, and so but I would say that the big issues that we faced the where where the the the rank and file lost confidence in this department because they felt the department let them down and and in fact it it it did in many ways. Um I don't think you hear the same concerns about their equipment, do we have enough people? Um you know our training all those things.
▶ 0:42:57So, in in large measure, those the big issues that were identified have been resolved in my view. Okay. Thank you. My time's expired. I'll just end with thank you again for the time you spent here and wishing you luck in retirement. Thank you. Thank you. I now recognize Mr. Loa for 5 minutes. Thank you, Chairman. Uh over the last several years, the Capital Police have undergone a dramatic transformation, growing in size, complexity, and responsibility.
▶ 0:43:21What was once a force primarily focused on the capital grounds now operates with a nationwide scope, navigating a heightened threat landscape, expanding protective operations and embracing new technologies to secure both people and infrastructure. At the heart of this transformation is a workforce expected to do more with urgency and precision, often under immense pre.
▶ 0:43:42As the department prepares for its next phase of growth, the path forward raises critical considerations about readiness, morale, modernization, and how to responsibly manage nearly a billion dollar budget. Uh Chief Major, good to see you again today, sir. Uh thank you for your four and a half uh decades of service. I'm not sure if this is going to be our last meeting or not, but uh it's good to interact with you. Um I want to ask you, sir, um how does the department determine priorities for physical security upgrades when with respect to budgeting?
▶ 0:44:09Uh how does the department determine priorities for that budgeting uh for physical security upgrades across the uh capital complex? We have um a a team of folks that will visit um the Pentagon, visit TSA um and and other and White House and uh look at um where you know uh what other agencies are doing in terms of screening and to make sure that um we're we've got the right equipment that you know advances that are made
▶ 0:44:39that we're all sort of on the same page and that we keep current with uh with what's the best practice. My colleague from Utah asked about the cost of temporary fencing or at least the issue of temporary fencing. Has anybody considered the cost as it relates to doing temporary fencing for one event versus creating some lowprofile more permanent structures on how would it take two, three, four events?
▶ 0:45:02Does the cost of those number of events equal the the cost of um a more permanent lower profile um fencing? uh with I know those discussions have occurred and I know that we've we um uh the folks that that do that kind of security work um within my agency um have uh had met have have had meetings with vendors and and there with the sergeant-at-arms and this has been now a couple years ago um you know looking at at those kinds of options.
▶ 0:45:33So I know that those discussions uh have been had and those those um opportunities and and I guess uh for a different sort of um uh countermeasure a different sort of security fencing, you know, a little lower profile have been discussed and and looked at.
▶ 0:45:53Chief, I've been led to believe that the cost of three events, the temporary structures for three events would equal what it would cost for a more permanent the low profile and I think everybody who supports a permanent solution also wants it to be low profile. I've been led to believe that the cost of three temporary structures is equal to one permanent one. Can you get back to us chief uh some time about your estimates on one versus the other? Yes. I also want to ask you chief what role do emerging technologies including artificial intelligence play in your modern modernization plan.
▶ 0:46:24um you know artificial intelligence, one of probably the biggest area where that is um assisting uh us is in in the screening process where you have X-ray machines that can identify um uh prohibited items when they come through and um uh that that technology is improving every single day.
▶ 0:46:46And so, um, we we certainly, uh, stay in touch with with the vendor that we use for our machines to make sure that we have the latest upgrades, um, from from that, uh, uh, vendor. The, uh, I I, you know, um, it's not perfect.
▶ 0:47:06you're all you're always going to uh need to have um human eyes on uh on those screens and human interactions with those individuals uh that have been identified as to having some prohibited item. So, but uh the AI is is helps us avoid those what we call single points of failure where you know you can have one person miss something and then you've you could have a problem.
▶ 0:47:35uh AI can give us that backup um which is uh which is is better for our security campuswide. Great. Uh with about the 30 seconds I have remaining, Chief, I want to switch gears just a little bit and hone in on your specific budget request and we're all under a microscope and we appreciate that. You know, the dollars are limited and certainly acknowledging the issue of uh the size and scope of the job is rightfully expanding. You have many new threats. You're not just here in DC. You have to deal with those threats off campus.
▶ 0:48:04Uh but can you give the committee a sense of how uh chief you're ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently and align with operational priorities? Well, we we certainly um have internal uh budget controls and we we have just one of the new um teams has been created is our inspections uh unit which are going to uh in addition to what the inspector general does have take a a a look agencywide
▶ 0:48:35for um opportunities to to um uh for efficiencies and to ensure compliance. um in terms of of how we administer our budget. Thank you, Chief. I yield. Well, if there are no further questions, I'd like to thank Chief Manger and your team and the entire Capitol Police Force for everything they do and for your service. Uh me members may submit any additional questions for the record. And the sub the subcommittee now stands