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U.S. Capitol Police Inspector General report reveals inefficiencies leading up to Jan. 6 insurrection

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A report by the U.S. Capitol Police department is revealing inefficiencies in the department’s operations leading up to and during the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol.

The U.S.C.P. Inspector General said the department needs a “cultural change.”

“In regards to cultural change, we see that the Department needs to move away from the thought process as a traditional Police Department and move to the posture as a Protective Agency,” said Michael Bolton, U.S.C.P. Inspector General.

Members of a House panel heard the findings from the third flash report reviewing counter-surveillance and threat assessment on Monday.

“I feel that it is the utmost importance to continue exploring and reviewing the causes and failures that led to the horrific events when the Capitol was violently attacked,” said Bolton.

The findings from the latest report said the department has outdated or unclear guidance and it pointed to poor communication about potential threats.

“A lack of clear and detailed communication could have increased inefficiencies,” said Bolton.

The report calls for U.S.C.P. to update its communication policies and training requirements.

It also recommends that the department creates a unit solely dedicated to counter-surveillance.

The goal is for that team to be able to identify and stop people or groups of people from planning criminal activity.

“The entity should be sufficiently staffed and have adequate resources including dedicated analysts,” said Bolton.

In response to the OIG report, U.S.C.P. said: “The United States Capitol Police has already taken significant steps to implement the recommendations detailed in the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) third flash report on counter-surveillance and threat assessments… Of the 10 most recent OIG recommendations, the Department believes the most impactful are those specific to increasing threat assessment manpower and restructuring the Department to establish a stand-alone counter-surveillance entity - both of which require resources and authorization.”