Capitol Police chief resigns a day after Congress was taken by a violent, pro-Trump mob

WASHINGTON — A day after his department failed to protect Congress from rioting by a violent, pro-Trump mob that left five dead, many injured and lawmakers terrified, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund announced that he will resign, effective Jan. 16.

Sund submitted his resignation letter to the Capitol Police Board just hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for him to step down.

“I am respectfully submitting my letter of resignation, effective Sunday, January 16, 2021. It has been a pleasure and true honor to serve the United States Capitol Police Board and the Congressional community alongside and the women and men of the United States Capitol Police,” Sund wrote. “As discussed, I will transition into a sick leave status effective January 17, 2021, until I exhaust my available sick leave balance of approximately 440 hours.”

Sund’s tumultuous tenure as the leader of the Capitol Police began in May 2019, when he was appointed to replace Matthew Verderosa. It has been plagued with communications failures, claims of gender discrimination and a robust pattern of misconduct met with light punishment.

The United States Capitol Police Labor Committee on Thursday issued a statement in which it called for Sund’s resignation and for the resignations of Assistant Chief Chad Thomas and Assistant Chief Yogananda Pittman.

“We have several protesters dead, multiple officers injured and the symbol of our Democracy, the U.S. Capitol, desecrated,” union Chairman Gus Papathanasiou said. “This never should have happened. This lack of planning led to the greatest breach of the U.S. Capitol since the War of 1812. This is a failure of leadership at the very top.”

The fallout continued on Thursday, most poignantly with the news, first reported by CNN, that a Capitol Police officer involved in the riots had died.

Papathanasiou said he was proud of the men and women of the department, but that leadership failed the rank and file.

“Without a change at the top, we may see more events unfold like those we saw on Jan. 6,” he said. “We cannot leave our officers and the Capitol Hill community they protect to the mercy of further attacks amid a vacuum of leadership.”

Just last week, the Capitol Police said it was ready to take on the crowd at Congress’ Jan. 6 joint session to certify the Electoral College victory of President-elect Joe Biden. But after both chambers were infiltrated and the mob vandalized several areas of the Capitol complex, it became apparent the department was ill prepared.

“I am calling for the resignation of the chief of the Capitol Police, Mr. Sund, and I have received notice from Mr. Irving that he will be submitting his resignation,” Pelosi, a California Democrat, said at a news conference Thursday.

The Capitol Police Board is comprised of House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul D. Irving, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger and Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton. The board oversees Sund.

Sund has been with the U.S. Capitol Police since January 2017, serving previously as chief of operations and assistant police chief. He began his policing career in 1990 as a Metropolitan Police Department patrol officer in Washington, D.C.’s Sixth District. As a lieutenant in MPD’s special operations division, Sund planned major events, including presidential inaugurations and state funerals.