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Some reports have indicated that the Chief of US Capitol Police Steve Sund has resigned and it will be effective from 16^th January 2021. The recent move came after calls from Nancy Pelosi for Sund to step down for a failure of leadership. It will see him leave the position just days before the inauguration of Joe Biden. The resignation was confirmed by a person familiar with the matter to a news outlet. It came after the House Sergeant at Arms, Paul D Irving submitted his resignation to Pelosi. On Thursday morning, Sund issued a statement and said that Capitol Police had a robust plan to address peaceful First Amendment protests, but what they encountered was criminal riotous behavior. He said, “The violent attack on the US Capitol was unlike any I have ever experienced in my 30 years in law enforcement here in Washington, DC”.

D Irving added, “But make no mistake, these mass riots were not First Amendment activities; they were criminal riotous behavior.  The actions of the USCP officers were heroic given the situation they faced”. On Thursday morning, Pelosi said during a press conference that those excuses were not enough; Sund hadn’t even contacted Congressional leadership following the chaos at the Capitol. Many of our Capitol police acted so bravely and with such concern for the staff and the members, for the Capitol of the United States, and they deserve our gratitude. There was a failure of leadership at the top of the Capitol Police”. She said the failure goes beyond the Capitol police to the FBI, the Department of Defense, and the National Guard.

The US Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer said he would fire Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger if he isn’t gone by the time Democrats take control, he would be fired. Mitch McConnell also said bipartisan discussions have already started regarding investigating the massive failure of institutions, protocols, and planning that are supposed to protect the first branch of our federal government. McConnell said, “The ultimate blame for yesterday lies with the unhinged criminals who broke down doors, trampled our nation’s flag, fought with law enforcement, and tried to disrupt our democracy, and with those who incited them. But this fact does not and will not preclude our addressing the shocking failures in the Capitol’s security posture and protocols”.