New Capitol Police chief to take over Friday

Incoming U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger will take over on Friday, the Capitol Police Board announced Thursday.

The Capitol Police Board officially announced that Manger, who served over four decades in policing, was chosen to helm USPC.

Manger’s selection was first reported by The Associated Press, and confirmed by The Hill on Monday.

Manger is set to become the force’s permanent chief in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, which saw Capitol Police officers overwhelmed as supporters of former President Trump breached the building’s security.

Several officers who responded to the riot suffered injuries, and Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick sustained injuries during the attack. He died of natural causes a day after the riot. Capitol Police officer Howard Liebengood and D.C. police officer Jeffrey Smith, died by suicide following the insurrection. 

Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resigned in January amid the fallout from the insurrection. Sund was only on the job for seven months before his resignation.

The force was helmed by acting Chief Yoganada Pittman, who ran USCP’s intelligence services leading up to the attack. The Capitol Police union had called on Pittman to resign after the riot, most recently last month after a Senate report outlined security failures leading up to the event. 

In a statement, the Board thanked Pittman for “her dedication and focused effort over the last six months to enhance security around the Capitol Complex and begin the hard work of implementing lessons learned from January 6.”

Manger began his law enforcement career as a Fairfax County police officer in 1997, rising the ranks from officer to chief of police. He served as police chief from 1998 to 2004.

After leaving Fairfax in 2004, Manger became chief of police for Montgomery County, Md., a position he served in until 2019.

Manger served as president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association from 2014 to 2018, and as vice president of the Police Executive Research Forum from 2013 to 2017.