The Capitol Police Board announced on Friday that former Montgomery Co. Police Chief Thomas Manger is now the head of the US Capitol Police.
The appointment of the new chief comes six months after the deadly January 6 Capitol attack, which led to heavy criticism against the Department’s leadership. Steven Sund, who was the chief of the US Capitol Police at the time, stepped down in the wake of the insurrection. Assistant Chief Yogananda Pittman was designated as Acting Chief after Sund’s resignation.
Manger served for 15 years as chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland, between 2004 and 2019. His career within the law enforcement profession that started at Fairfax County police in 1977 spans 42 years. He later became chief of police in Fairfax County.
“I am humbled and honored to join the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police Department in their mission to protect the Congress, the Capitol and the federal legislative process,” said Manger upon his appointment. “The challenges in protecting the Capitol campus, and everyone who works or visits there, have never been more complex. 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.”
Washingtonian magazine named Manger as one of the “Washingtonians of the Year” in 2018. He also serves on the Cardinal’s Child Safety Advisory Board for the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.
“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. Chief Manger’s commitment to listening, fairness and transparency will be key in rebuilding trust amongst USCP sworn officers and civilian employees,” USCP said in a statement.
The USCP also thanked Pittman “for her dedication and focused effort over the last six months to enhance security around the Capitol Complex and begin the hard work of implementing lessons learned from January 6.”
Acting Chief Pittman made history as the first woman and first African American to lead the USCP. She would have become the first Black woman to hold the position if she was appointed the force’s chief.
Manger assumed command on Friday, July 23.
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