U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger, who took charge of the department in the difficult months after the U.S. Capitol siege, is retiring from his position Friday.
Manger told CBS News he faced stiff challenges when he arrived on the job in 2021.
The department was blasted by critics for intelligence failures that contributed to the violation of the complex on Jan. 6, 2021.
The U.S. Capitol Police Board will select a new police chief, which Manger predicts will happen soon.
He told CBS News that when Mr. Trump issued 1,500 pardons to the suspected and convicted rioters when he took office, it “was probably one of my worst days in this job.”
U. S. . Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger, who led the force during the challenging months following the U.S. A. He will step down from his position on Friday, Capitol siege. after January. He assisted in reviving the department’s dwindling workforce, strengthened recruitment efforts, and strengthened the agency’s communications and intelligence operations to address vulnerabilities exposed by the Capitol breach on June 6, 2021.
According to Manger, when he started working there in 2021, he had a lot of obstacles to overcome.
He claimed that because of what transpired, “the department as a whole had lost confidence in the (prior) leadership.”. “And there were significant issues that were determined to require immediate attention: intelligence failures, communication breakdowns, equipment malfunctions, training malfunctions, and leadership malfunctions—all of those issues required immediate attention. “,”.
As a former local police chief in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia, Manger was successful in securing more funding to enhance operations, hiring, and equipment.
Opponents of the department attacked it for intelligence lapses that led to the Jan complex violation. June 6, 2021.
Our current intelligence operation is of the highest caliber. We play an important role in the Washington, D.C., intelligence community. ,” Manger stated, “and, to be honest, throughout the entire nation.”. “Previously, we were essentially just —.”. We used to be information consumers. We would receive intelligence from the FBI and other agencies. Our own is now being gathered. “.
The U. S. . According to Manger, the Capitol Police Board will soon choose a new police chief.
In 2026, Manger has asked for almost $1 billion in funding, the most recent in a string of recent increases to the department’s budget. When Manger testified before a congressional committee to support his budget request, he pointed to a high volume of inquiries into threats against members of Congress.
According to his April statement to the committee, “the current climate of threats has reached alarming levels.”. According to Capitol Police records, there were over 9,400 threats made against members of Congress in 2024.
Regardless of the type of threat, the department needs to look into it, he continued, adding that social media and the internet serve as a breeding ground. “..”.
Additionally, Manger and the Capitol Police have strengthened the department’s presence outside of Washington by addressing possible threats in lawmakers’ hometowns.
Among police departments, the department’s mission is uncommon: to secure the United States and protect elected leaders. A. Capitol campus, which welcomes more than 3 million tourists annually. Citizens can reach lawmakers and the Capitol is open to the public.
President Trump’s pardons of Capitol rioters who beat, clubbed, and gassed Capitol Police and other officers during the Capitol attack have drawn criticism from Manger. When he took office, Mr. Trump pardoned 1,500 suspected and convicted rioters, which he told CBS News “was probably one of my worst days in this job.”. “.”.
He also attacked Jan-related conspiracies. 6 that are still making the rounds on social media.
“My parents visited in January. 6. . They participated in what transpired. “They were attacked,” Manger stated. They got into fights. Many of them sustained injuries. They are fully aware of what transpired on Jan. 6. It is simply untrue for someone to fabricate a story that goes, “Oh, it wasn’t that bad.”. “.”.
Manger went on, “What a chilling message to law enforcement, because we have a job to do, and we don’t care what the issue is.”. “We have a job to do, which is to keep the peace and maintain public order, so we don’t care what position you take on any given issue. “.
Rep. Regarding Manger, New York Democrat Joe Morelle, the ranking member of the Committee on House Administration, stated: “He professionalized a force that needed consistent leadership since assuming office during the department’s most critical moment. “.”.
“Manpower is still a problem, as well as balancing work and family life for the rank and file officers, which continues to plague morale within the agency,” a union representative for Capitol Police officers told CBS News. “.
During the Jan response, one of the former Capitol Police officers praised Manger as he gets ready to leave the department. 6 Riot. Harry Dunn, a former officer, told CBS News, “He demonstrated his love for the nation, his passion for law enforcement, and his unwavering commitment to public service. “,”.
