US Capitol police to hold vote of no confidence Thursday
Officers recently told CNN that intelligence and operational failures left them vulnerable to the attack and said they worry current leadership is incapable of managing future incidents.
Gus Papathanasiou, chairman of the union representing rank-and-file officers, told CNN the vote targets top leadership, including acting Chief Yogananda Pittman, Assistant Chief Chad Thomas, acting Assistant Chief Sean Gallagher, Deputy Chief Jeffrey Pickett, Deputy Chief Timothy A. Bowen and Deputy Chief Eric Waldow. Officers will be able to vote on each individual.
Timeline: How a pro-Trump mob besieged the Capitol
A separate ballot will be available for officers who work the Capitol Division of the department, and they’ll be asked to vote on a captain in that division, Papathanasiou said.
According to an email sent to members of the department obtained by CNN late Tuesday, Pittman told officers the vote illustrates “the sentiment and concerns of some of our officers.”
“We all know how difficult the fight and sacrifice can be on ourselves and our loved ones,” she wrote. “During these difficult times, it is important to remember that we are a family too. We are stronger together united versus divided.”
In the email, Pittman touted her efforts after her appointment to the agency’s top spot, including improving intelligence and operational communications.
USCP said in its statement that it’s “offering counseling and wellness support” to all staff and their family members “given the emotional toll so many are experiencing.”
“The officers are angry, and I don’t blame them,” Papathanasiou said. “The entire executive team failed us, and they must be held accountable.”
