NEW CHEIF IN TOWN

New Capitol Police Chief Picked Months After Insurrection

J. Thomas Manger spent 15 years as the chief of police in Maryland.

J. Thomas Manger has been chosen as the new chief of the U.S. Capitol Police six months after the Jan. 6 insurrection that left five people dead, including a Capitol cop. Manger has served 15 years as police chief in Montgomery County, Maryland, and underwent an extensive background check before being named to the new position. The Capitol Police have struggled with securing the Capitol in the aftermath of the insurrection, and have asked for more funding to increase the number of officers and ensure they have better riot gear. Manger’s new role will also mean the end of Yogananda Pittman’s stint as acting chief, which she took on when Steven Sund resigned after the riots. Pittman’s brief time as chief hasn’t been easy, as she’s faced criticism over her leadership. Pittman, who had been in charge of intelligence leading up to the insurrection, told Congress that there were multiple levels of failures that allowed the pro-Trump rioters to storm the building.