By Suzie Ziegler
WASHINGTON — Capitol Police officers have expressed their displeasure with agency leaders in an “overwhelming” vote of no confidence, CBS News reported Tuesday. The vote comes after dozens of officers were injured in the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol. One officer was killed and two more died by suicide in the weeks after.
According to CBS, the union representing rank-and-file officers announced that 92% of officers voted that they had no confidence in Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman. Pittman’s predecessor, Steven Sund, resigned after the attack.
“Capitol Police offers have delivered an overwhelming vote of No Confidence in the senior leadership of the U.S. Capitol Police,” the union said in a news release. “The Executive Board of the Capitol Police Union called for rank-and-file members to consider a vote of no confidence late last week following the senior leadership’s mishandling of the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th. The board took this unprecedented step after reviewing details of the events on, and leading up to, January 6th and the subsequent deaths of 6 people, and injuries to approximately 140 Capitol and Metropolitan Police officers.”
“Leadership clearly failed us. We know because we were there,” union chairman Gus Papathanasiou said, according to the statement.
On Monday, Pittman responded to the no-confidence vote. “It’s been just over one month since one of our nation’s darkest days, and the trauma is still incredibly raw and difficult for the many officers who fought heroically on the 6th,” Pittman said in a statement obtained by CBS. “Since being sworn in on January 8th, my executive team and I have made the well-being of our officers our top priority,” she said. “While progress has been made, more work remains. And I am committed to ensuring every officer gets what they need and deserve."
Capitol Police leadership has been sharply criticized for not doing enough to prepare for the protest despite advance warning that it could turn violent, according to CBS.