Report Reveals Alleged Actions Of Capitol Police Officers Facing Jan. 6 Discipline

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06:  Riot police clear the hallway inside the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: Riot police clear the hallway inside the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

A report published Tuesday night sheds light on the alleged actions of some of the six Capitol Police officers facing disciplinary action for their behavior during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Documents obtained by McClatchy publicly reveal for the first time the nature of some of the alleged infractions that led to possible disciplinary action. While the department announced Saturday that disciplinary action had been recommended against six officers, the specific incidents of wrongdoing weren’t made public.

Three of the six officers allegedly took selfies with rioters. And one allegedly blabbed to a friend about the secure location to which lawmakers were evacuated during the attack. 

One of the selfie-taking officers reportedly told investigators that he did so in order to identify the rioter later — but that detail came only after the FBI informed Capitol Police that the officer appeared in photos that the bureau was using to obtain an arrest warrant for one of the rioters.

The officer also didn’t use his own phone, nor did he obtain any information about the suspect. The officers who allegedly took selfies with rioters are accused of conduct unbecoming of an officer, McClatchy reported.

Another officer facing that charge became known as the “selfie officer,” McClatchy noted, because footage showed him taking photos with multiple people. 

That officer told investigators he wanted to diffuse the situation, McClatchy reported. 

“I can’t help what they do,” he said, according to the reported documents. “If you want to take a photo, I’m not going to say no because we are always told to interact and keep the situation calm.” 

One officer accused of improper dissemination of information — for allegedly talking with a friend about the secure location to which lawmakers were evacuated within the Capitol — said he couldn’t deny the allegation. 

“I can’t say one hundred percent that I didn’t do what you’re telling me I did,” the officer, a Protective Services Bureau special agent, reportedly told investigators.

The officer’s friend reportedly told Capitol Police in an interview that he and the officer had been friends for 40 years, but that the officer “says enough concerning statements that I feel like I need to do this… he’s just fallen into this cult and these beliefs.”  The officer denied being sympathetic to the rioters’ cause.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for cf2k cf2k says:

    Jail time is warranted for the Capitol PD officer who disclosed the location of legislators.

  2. The officer’s friend reportedly told Capitol Police in an interview that he and the officer had been friends for 40 years, but that the officer “says enough concerning statements that I feel like I need to do this… he’s just fallen into this cult and these beliefs.” The officer denied being sympathetic to the rioters’ cause.

    I’m much more inclined to believe your friend of 40 years concerning your politics than I am to believing your denial, officer.

  3. its “defuse”

  4. And what crime would that be? Or would you just prefer generalized bloodlust?

  5. One officer accused of improper dissemination of information — for allegedly talking with a friend about the secure location to which lawmakers were evacuated within the Capitol — said he couldn’t deny the allegation.

    “I can’t say one hundred percent that I didn’t do what you’re telling me I did,” the officer, a Protective Services Bureau special agent, reportedly told investigators.

    I would think that in his training they would have covered why one wouldn’t tell individuals in a large mass of people demanding to hang Mike Pence, or other elected to office person’s whereabouts. Especially if the situation demanded that all elected to office people be removed from their place of work to a secure location. There has to be some kind of punishment for blabbing.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

137 more replies

Participants

Avatar for sandi Avatar for alliebean Avatar for ajm Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for epicurus Avatar for jimtoday Avatar for cvilledem Avatar for sniffit Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for yskov Avatar for cf2k Avatar for lastroth Avatar for frankrizzo Avatar for hoagie Avatar for southerndem Avatar for smoscom Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for jakebarnes Avatar for taylor Avatar for txlawyer Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for emiliano4 Avatar for xcopy

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: