Will expand even more after the comments by ‘Auntie Maxine.’
Via Roll Call:
The Capitol Police has “widened the net” of events off Capitol Hill where the agency has acted to ensure protection for lawmakers since the shooting at a Republican baseball practice last June, Chief Matthew Verderosa told members of the House Administration Committee on Tuesday.
The agency has engaged with local law enforcement for over 400 events outside of the Capitol complex, including for member town hall meetings and other district events. Lawmakers have expressed concern over safety at remote events and meetings after the shooting and as political tensions have ramped up rhetoric and actions by citizens.
“We are looking at coverage more globally,” he said.
The number of threat assessment cases opened and investigated by the Capitol Police nearly doubled, Verderosa said in his testimony before the panel on the force’s strategic plans.
The increased activity, however, comes as the workforce remains a major ongoing concern for lawmakers and the department’s officials. Management of human capital is a top challenge, acting Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton testified.
“We are always trying to balance between having adequate number of officers on post, with overtime and the restriction on that and being able to maintain security,” he said.
Bolton told lawmakers the department has already taken steps to strengthen training and recruitment since his most recent report.