WASHINGTON Jan 3 Washington Police Chief Tom Menger warned of the threat of new unrest, like the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
«Given the divided state of our nation, an attack like the one the department experienced on January 6, 2021 could happen again,» he said in a statement.
According to Menger, the Washington Police have made «over 100 significant improvements» to improve their readiness. Among them, in particular, the requirement to work out an action plan in case of incidents during demonstrations, cooperation with «dozens of law enforcement agencies» and strengthening the intelligence component in the work of the police.
«Congress has passed legislation that gives the US Metropolitan Police Chief the power to unilaterally declare a state of emergency and call in the National Guard,» Menger added.
He also acknowledged that the Washington Police Department needs to continue this work.
On January 6, 2021, supporters of former US President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol, blocking the work of Congress for several hours. As a result of the riots, a protester and a policeman died, three more died from causes not related to violence.
After the protesters were expelled from the building, congressmen approved the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election. Subsequently, hundreds of people in the United States were arrested on charges related to participation in the storming of the Capitol.