The measures, as set out in an internal email, include the removal of the outer perimeter of the fence along the Capitol site within the next two weeks and the use of bicycle racks positioned in double rows outside some areas within one week. be, to create a barrier between police and possible threats. officers give more time to respond effectively.
Capitol police still believe they are operating in an increased threat environment due to the political climate and the increase in domestic violent extremism, according to the email. Officials believe that a single-person attack, commonly known as a ‘lone wolf’ attack, poses the greatest risk.
Police in the Capitol maintain that there is no known, credible threat to Congress or the Capitol. The agency said in the email that plans could change as officials face new threats.
About two to three weeks after the outer fence was removed, Capitol police will reevaluate and likely reduce the National Guard’s evaluation, the email said.
Last week, the Pentagon has extended the deployment of the national guard for the protection of the Capitol until May, at the request of the Capitol police. The plan requires about 2,300 troops to stay at the Capitol until May 23, compared to 5,000 troops that would be there by March 12.
“The four kilometers of fences that now surround the Capitol will do nothing to prevent another attack, or to help us understand the underlying failures that caused the riot,” Honoré said in the headline. written, which is the response of federal law enforcement before and during the assault on the Capitol complex.
The razor wire and 7-foot fence that was installed after the pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol has become a point of contention between USCP and lawmakers. Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle became increasingly frustrated and quickly shifted back to USCP’s proposal at the end of January to build permanent fences. Honoré said in his piece that the Capitol fence “offers a false sense of security” and compares it to the wall along the American southern border, which he describes as an “expensive failure”.
The changes come because lawmakers have also expressed frustration over the continued presence of National Guard troops. This month, Capitol police called for expansion for the national watchdogs, but lawmakers could not get much clarity on why the deployment of the watchdogs was extended from mid-March to May, according to USCP and the Pentagon. with the outreach.
There was even controversy in the Department of Defense about how many troops they should keep on the ground. Three defense officials confirmed that Austin had reviewed a proposal to keep fewer than 1,000 troops, but ultimately decided to ask the USCP for the full number of troops.
“There was a discussion ‘about the approval of less than 1,000 troops, one defense official told CNN.