Jul 25, 2021 - Politics & Policy

USCP chief: Officers testifying before Jan. 6 committee "need to be heard"

Thomas Manger, the new chief of the U.S. Capitol Police

Thomas Manger, the new chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

New Capitol Police chief Tom Manger said officers testifying before the Jan. 6 select committee this week "need to be heard."

Driving the news: The select committee's first hearing is set to take place on Tuesday and will feature testimony from law enforcement officers who were subject to some of the worst of violence during the insurrection.

The big picture: Manger, who was sworn into his position Friday, told CBS News on Saturday that he "absolutely" supports the testifying officers and that he would cooperate with the select committee and testify if called to do so.

  • Manger added that his focus is on figuring out how USCP should move forward in the wake of Jan. 6.

What they're saying: "Those officers need to be heard, I think we need to pay close attention to what they're saying," Manger said.

  • "I would be foolish not to think it could happen again, but we are better prepared," Manger added of the prospect of another attack.
  • "There's a lot of things that you can point to that, that may have made a difference on the 6th, but what I'm really focused on is, okay, so what do we do about that now?" he said.

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