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Capitol Police Board names new U.S. Capitol Police chief

22 July 2021
Dan Ackermann

Former Maryland police chief Tom Manger has been selected as the new chief of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), per a Thursday announcement.

Why it matters: Manger will assume command on Friday, taking a role that became highly visible after the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The insurrection killed a USCP officer, injured several more and led to mental health challenges throughout the force.

  • The department's failure to act on intelligence indicting possible violence on Jan. 6 "betrayed" its mission and was "inexcusable," the USCP union said in a statement in January.
  • Under the authority of acting chief Yogananda Pittman, USCP has since enhanced security around the Capitol as well as a range of reforms, including joint trainings with other law enforcement agencies and wellness initiatives.

His background: Manger, who was selected following a nationwide search, served as chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland, and in Fairfax County, Virginia. He retired from the Montgomery County Police Department in 2019 after 15 years as chief and 42 years in the force.

  • Manger was president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association from 2014 to 2018.

What they're saying: "The Congress is fortunate to have a seasoned decision-maker who will lead with integrity, draw on his regional experience in strengthening partnerships with law enforcement partners, and make intelligence-based security decisions," the board said in a press release, thanking Pittman for her work during the last six months.

"Chief Manger’s commitment to listening, fairness and transparency will be key in rebuilding trust amongst USCP sworn officers and civilian employees."

"I am humbled and honored to join the men and women of the US Capitol Police Department in their mission to protect the Congress, the Capitol and the federal legislative process," Manger said in a statement.

  • "The challenges in protecting the Capitol campus, and everyone who works or visits there, have never been more complex," he added. "The courage and dedication of the men and women of this agency were on great display on Jan. 6th." 
  • "It is now my job to ensure that they have the resources and support to continue to fulfill their mission in an ever increasingly difficult job."

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

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Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.

Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.

The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.

  • The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.

What the transcripts say:

  • Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
  • The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
  • Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.