Acting Police Chief Yogananda Pittman asked the Department of Defense to continue to provide support in the Capitol, where 5,200 guardsmen are currently deployed.
North Cornwall Township Police Chief John Leahy was temporarily placed on paid administrative leave, the township’s board of supervisors announced in a news release Monday.
The official statement from the U.S. Capitol Police Department was measured and vague as to the cause. According to the police, "Officer Brian D Sicknick passed away due to injuries sustained while on duty."
“There were dozens of Eugene Goodmans that day,” said Officer Harry Dunn. “Eugene got caught on camera and I'm not surprised that he did the right thing, the brave thing, the heroic thing -- there were so many Eugene Goodmans that weren't caught on camera that day. … and I'm proud to work with all of them.”
“Our Office of Professional Responsibility will investigate these behaviors for disciplinary action, up to, and including, termination,” Chief Yogananda Pittman said. “Several USCP officers have already been suspended pending the outcome of their investigations.”
Officers Jeffrey Smith's and Howard Liebengood's families say they deserve line of duty recognition because they believe the officers would be alive today if the Jan. 6 riot did not occur.
The union said that 92% of its members voted no confidence in acting Chief Yogananda Pittman, who assumed the role two days after the riots. Union Chairman Gus Papathanasiou said there are leaders within the department that are better suited for leadership.
Since George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis and the volatile demonstrations that followed in cities across the country, “the occupation has been under tremendous scrutiny by the public,” said John Violanti, a research professor at the University of Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions.
Pelosi has asked all lawmakers to co-sponsor the bill. The legislation would create three congressional gold medals to be given to the U.S. Capitol Police and Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department as well as to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research purposes.
If the no confidence vote is successful, it would send a message to the department and the public that more than 1,000 union officers want new leadership.