The United States Capitol Police (USCP) will open new regional offices in response to growing threats against members of Congress following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
The first two announced field offices will open in California and Florida, with more states expected in the “near future,” said USCP Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman. in a statement on Tuesday.
The fence surrounding the U.S. capital will begin on July 8
Police did not disclose the cities where the new regional offices are located and details of why they were needed, other than the words “Investigate threats to members of Congress.”
A USCP spokesman did not immediately respond to Acesparks’s request for comment for further details.
The arrests of Capitol police outside of Washington are more of an effort to protect lawmakers in their districts if concerns for their safety increase. In May, police told members of Congress that threats had increased by 107 percent and were expected by 2020.
CAPITOL POLICE: 107% RISK OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN A YEAR
In response, the USCP has also increased its Attention Department staff and strengthened coordination with local law enforcement to protect members of Congress in their homes.
California and Florida are one of the largest states in the country and therefore have two major delegations to Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. And GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Members of Congress have reported that they need to take additional security measures in their homes in response to the increased level of threat. In one example, spokeswoman Nancy May, RSC, had to call police in Charleston because her home was vandalized with seductive and anarchist characters over Memorial Day.
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USCP spokesman Pittman said Tuesday that police have taken a number of steps since the Jan. 6 riots to better protect the Capitol, increase staff training, and strengthen equipment and communications networks.
“For the past six months, the U.S. Capitol Police has been working around the clock with congressional stakeholders to support our officers, strengthen security around the Capitol complex, and move toward an intelligence-based defense agency,” Pittman said. .
