Capitol police chief: New intel bureau is key as Congress threats rise

The events that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021 ultimately led to a hefty to-do list for Chief of U.S. Capitol Police Thomas Manger, who assumed the role about six months after the attack. In an interview with POLITICO, Manger said one of his top priorities was to create an intelligence bureau to better monitor incoming threats nationwide. “The Capitol Police really didn't have folks around the region working with other intelligence agencies, working with other law enforcement agencies so that we were a part of that community and not just the recipient, you know, just waiting for people to tell us what they heard,” Manger said at an interview in his office, just blocks away from the Capitol.

While Washington D.C. is an obvious focal point for congressional security, Manger emphasized the importance of his department having nationwide surveillance to effectively be the “Secret Service” for Congress 24/7. In the last decade, the number of threats made against members of Congress have significantly increased. According to reports published by the Capitol Police, there were a total of 8,008 cases investigated in 2023; a noticeable spike compared to 5,206 cases in 2018.

Adding to those complications, the incoming threats have evolved as technology becomes more sophisticated, Manger said.

“We are gathering information that is specific to the Capitol, specific to members of Congress. And, of course, there's so many ways to gather that information. And the landscape that you have to look at is just so vast, you know, whether it's all of social media, whether it is just threats and information coming in via emails or telephone calls or just people making threats in person,” Manger said.

Watch this video to learn more about the new intelligence protocols and procedures USCP has implemented thus far.