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Capitol Police
Jan. 8th, 2021 10:17 amI live in the District. While protesting for DC Statehood, I was arrested by the Capitol Police. This gives me -- and my research as part of my ANC duties -- some insight into what happened on Wednesday.
The first thing everyone needs to understand is that DC police (MPD for Metropolitan Police Department) has no jurisdiction on Federal land. None. Without a specific invitation, MPD can do nothing on the National Mall, Lafayette Square, White House grounds, or the Capitol grounds. DC has no options in this. MPD can only set foot on capitol grounds with an express invitation from the Capitol Police or from the legislators themselves.
This is why several national news outlets mentioned FBI police, ATF, and other agency police at the Capitol building, but not MPD. Federal police, whichever agency they belong to, can help without an express invitation. The Capitol Police work more closely with the Park Rangers on the National Mall than they do with most DC based law enforcement.
It's also why you saw MPD maintaining the exterior cordon in the late afternoon and early evening after their help had been requested.
Next, Capitol Police is a very small group (I'd be surprised if there were more than 200 total, probably closer to 100) -- apparently, per comments below, the size is closer to 1500+. I know their shifts aren't huge unless something major is expected. Their very clean and pleasant station has two cells and probably isn't any larger than 2000 square feet, about 2.5 times the size of my apartment. Capitol Police are trained to be patient with protesters and answer questions from tourists. Even though they have clubs and riot gear, they don't often need to use them. They were not part of the line at Lafayette Park when tear gas was used, for instance.
Lastly, only the mayor can call in the DC National Guard. Mayor Bowser offered the Capitol Police the DC National Guard early in the afternoon. Not knowing what was going to happen, the Capitol Police turned her down. She did put the National Guard on alert so, when Capitol Police or legislators asked for them [eta: Mike Pence personally called them in], they were ready to go relatively quickly.
For major protests, which this wasn't expected to be, advance planning, usually including MPD, is performed. I'm certain there was already a plan for all the various polices to work together for the inauguration, as an example.
Should this have been handled better? Absolutely. But this debacle doesn't rest entirely on the Capitol Police; it rests on the inspiration to sedition from the president and on the legislators and others who abetted him.
The first thing everyone needs to understand is that DC police (MPD for Metropolitan Police Department) has no jurisdiction on Federal land. None. Without a specific invitation, MPD can do nothing on the National Mall, Lafayette Square, White House grounds, or the Capitol grounds. DC has no options in this. MPD can only set foot on capitol grounds with an express invitation from the Capitol Police or from the legislators themselves.
This is why several national news outlets mentioned FBI police, ATF, and other agency police at the Capitol building, but not MPD. Federal police, whichever agency they belong to, can help without an express invitation. The Capitol Police work more closely with the Park Rangers on the National Mall than they do with most DC based law enforcement.
It's also why you saw MPD maintaining the exterior cordon in the late afternoon and early evening after their help had been requested.
Next, Capitol Police is a very small group (I'd be surprised if there were more than 200 total, probably closer to 100) -- apparently, per comments below, the size is closer to 1500+. I know their shifts aren't huge unless something major is expected. Their very clean and pleasant station has two cells and probably isn't any larger than 2000 square feet, about 2.5 times the size of my apartment. Capitol Police are trained to be patient with protesters and answer questions from tourists. Even though they have clubs and riot gear, they don't often need to use them. They were not part of the line at Lafayette Park when tear gas was used, for instance.
Lastly, only the mayor can call in the DC National Guard. Mayor Bowser offered the Capitol Police the DC National Guard early in the afternoon. Not knowing what was going to happen, the Capitol Police turned her down. She did put the National Guard on alert so, when Capitol Police or legislators asked for them [eta: Mike Pence personally called them in], they were ready to go relatively quickly.
For major protests, which this wasn't expected to be, advance planning, usually including MPD, is performed. I'm certain there was already a plan for all the various polices to work together for the inauguration, as an example.
Should this have been handled better? Absolutely. But this debacle doesn't rest entirely on the Capitol Police; it rests on the inspiration to sedition from the president and on the legislators and others who abetted him.
