A US Capitol Police car passes in front of the US Capitol in Washington, USA, January 26, 2021.
Al Drago | Reuters
The US Capitol Police suspended six paid officers and are investigating the behavior of more than two dozen people involved in responding to the Capitol riots, the department told NBC News on Friday.
The department’s investigation into the January 6 attack, which resulted in five deaths and sent a joint session of Congress to fight for safety, “remains under investigation,” spokesman John Stolnis said in a statement.
The USCP Office of Personal Responsibility “is investigating the actions of 35 police officers that day,” six of whom are currently suspended with pay, according to the statement.
Yogananda Pittman, who took over as acting chief shortly after Steven Sund resigned from the USCP in the wake of the Capitol violation, “has indicated that any member of his department whose behavior does not conform to the Department’s Rules of Conduct will face proper discipline, “according to Stolnis.
The investigation update comes days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, announced that Congress will establish an independent commission to investigate the assault on Capitol Hill by a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the USCP statement.
Dozens of officers across the country who participated in the riots or attended Trump’s nearby rally before the mob attacked the Capitol have come under scrutiny from their departments, according to an Associated Press poll last month. Some have faced charges, while others have been put on leave, AP reported.
The security breach that led to the Capitol being invaded by Trump supporters sparked a massive backlash against the USCP and its leadership. The department’s police union this month cast a vote of no confidence for the force’s top leaders, including Pittman.
– CNBC’s Christian Nunley contributed to this report.