The union representing U.S. Capitol Police officers plans to hold a no-confidence vote this week in the department’s executive leadership more than a month after the deadly Jan. 6 riot.
“We will go forward with our vote of no confidence,” said Gus Papathanasiou, chairman of the United States Capitol Police Labor Committee in an email.
The vote had been planned last week but was delayed while officer Brian Sicknick, who died soon after being injured in the riot, was memorialized at the Capitol. A cause of death in Sicknick’s death has yet to be determined. A second officer on duty that day took his own life a few days later.
The union no-confidence vote is expected to target acting police chief Yogananda Pittman and other members of the department’s executive leadership.
“The union’s position hasn’t changed; we don’t have faith in the leadership of this department,” Papathanasiou said.
Pittman said in a video message Friday that significant change will be coming to Capitol Police operations, policies and procedures after the riot which killed 5 people.
Pittman is a 20-year veteran of the department. She was elevated after former chief Steven Sund resigned under harsh criticism that officers were ill-prepared to contend with the violent mob.
