Former Chief: Capitol Police Unaware of Undercover MPD Officers at Jan. 6 Event
Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Reveals Lack of Awareness of Undercover Officers on Jan. 6
During his testimony before the Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund expressed his surprise at not being informed about the presence of undercover officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. Sund emphasized that it was customary for outside police agencies to provide notice and seek permission before operating on Capitol grounds.
Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) questioned Sund about the undercover MPD officers, highlighting the fact that Sund was unaware of their presence. Sund confirmed that he had not been made aware of their deployment.
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8/21/2023Rep. Loudermilk confronted Sund with evidence of plainclothes MPD officers being present on Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, questioning why Sund was not informed about their embedding within the crowd. Sund reiterated that he had not been made aware of their presence and stated that if it turned out to be a police officer involved in encouraging protesters to enter the Capitol, it would be inappropriate.
The presence of undercover officers from the MPD’s Electronic Surveillance Unit was revealed in the criminal case against protester William Pope. Pope provided evidence in federal court, including leaked GoPro video footage, showing a three-man undercover team working their way up the northwest side of the Capitol.
Furthermore, federal prosecutors have acknowledged that one of the officers acted as a provocateur. Mr. Pope has filed a court motion to obtain and publicly release videos shot by all the undercover officers assigned to duty on Jan. 6.
Some of the undercover officers also participated in a traffic stop of three self-described Antifa members on their way to the Capitol. One of the individuals was arrested for possessing a firearm, a high-capacity magazine, and unregistered ammunition, although charges were dropped the following day.
Sund revealed that he had requested assistance from the MPD on Jan. 6 after his attempts to secure National Guard support had failed. He had made multiple calls to the MPD throughout the day, including conversations with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, contradicting her claim that she had not spoken to him since the initial breach of the Capitol.
After-Action Report
During the hearing, Rep. Loudermilk questioned Sund about the Capitol Police after-action report on Jan. 6. Sund expressed his surprise at the brevity of the report, comparing it to the comprehensive after-action report produced after the 2017 baseball shooting. Sund emphasized that he would have expected a much larger report, citing his experience as the incident commander during the Washington Navy Yard shooting, which resulted in an 83-page after-action report.
Nancy Pelosi Untruth
Sund refuted claims made by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she had not spoken to him since the initial breach of the Capitol. Sund revealed that he had spoken to Pelosi three times on the evening of Jan. 6, including a call where he briefed her on the situation. This contradicted Pelosi’s statement on national television calling for Sund’s resignation.
Data Miner
Rep. Loudermilk raised concerns about intelligence gathered by Gen. Mark Milley using a tool called Data Miner. The intelligence included references to violent rhetoric and threats to lawmakers. Sund confirmed that he was not informed about this intelligence and stated that it would have been valuable in preparing the Capitol Police for Jan. 6.
What are the potential consequences of the former Capitol Police Chief not being informed about the presence of undercover officers from the Metropolitan Police Department on January 6th?
In a surprising revelation, former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund expressed his shock at not being informed about the presence of undercover officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021. Testifying before the Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, Sund emphasized that it was customary for outside police agencies to provide notice and seek permission before operating on Capitol grounds.
During the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) questioned Sund about the undercover MPD officers, bringing attention to the fact that Sund was unaware of their presence. Sund confirmed that he had not been made aware of their deployment.
This lack of awareness regarding the presence of undercover officers raises serious questions about the coordination and communication between different law enforcement agencies during the events that unfolded on January 6th. It is concerning that the former Capitol Police Chief was not informed about the deployment of these officers, especially considering the heightened security concerns surrounding the certification of the electoral college results.
Rep. Loudermilk confronted Sund with evidence of plainclothes MPD officers being present on Capitol grounds on January 6th, questioning why Sund was not informed about their embedding within the crowd. Sund reiterated that he had not been made aware of their presence and stated that if it turned out to be a police officer involved in encouraging protesters to enter the Capitol, it would be highly inappropriate.
The revelation of undercover officers from the MPD’s Electronic Surveillance Unit raises further questions about their role and the extent of their involvement in the events of January 6th. In a criminal case against protester William Pope, the presence of this undercover team was exposed through leaked GoPro video footage provided by Pope. The footage showed a three-man undercover team working their way up the northwest side of the Capitol.
Furthermore, federal prosecutors have acknowledged that one of the officers acted as a provocateur. This revelation raises concerns about the role of undercover officers in potentially instigating or encouraging illegal activities during the riots. As a result, Mr. Pope has filed a court motion to obtain and publicly release videos shot by all the undercover officers assigned to duty on January 6th.
The lack of awareness of undercover officers by the former Capitol Police Chief sheds light on potential shortcomings in the communication and coordination systems in place leading up to and during the events of January 6th. It is essential to thoroughly investigate the involvement of undercover officers and their actions on that day to ensure accountability and prevent such incidents from happening in the future. The findings from this investigation will be crucial in implementing necessary reforms and improving security protocols to safeguard the U.S. Capitol and its occupants.
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