Capitol police official who helped plan security for 6 January leaves the force

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The assistant chief of the US Capitol police, who helped plan security on 6 January, the day of the notorious riot, has left the force.

Chad Thomas, oversaw most of the department’s uniformed officers and the riot team that was underprepared for the violent attack launched by Donald Trump’s supporters.

He was involved in the planning of staffing, SWAT team instructions and US Capitol perimeter security on the day that the seat of US democracy was breached by rioters.

He is the latest senior officer leave the force and his departure comes ahead of an expected congressional report, which is expected to highlight the failure of the force’s leadership.

“For your awareness, USCP Assistant Chief Chad Thomas is no longer serving as Commander of Uniformed Operations and will be separating from the department,” the US Capitol Police said in a notification to lawmakers.

Mr Thomas joined the force in 1996, and was first appointed to the role of assistant chief of police for uniformed operations in acting capacity in 2019.

The departure comes amid widespread unhappiness with the force’s leadership amid rank-and file-officers.

In a union ballot in February 96 per cent of voting officers gave Mr Thomas a vote of no confidence, and 92 per cent gave the same mark to acting chief Yogananda Pittman.

Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resigned in the wake off the January insurrection in which supporters of the former president tried to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s election win.

A permanent choice for the new police chief is expected over the summer.

The Capitol Police’s internal watchdog said in April that its officers were unprepared for the riot as blamed its leadership for failing to communicate the threat level of the violence and provided officers with aging equipment.

Michael A Bolton, the Capitol Police’s inspector general, told Congress that the department needed a “culture change” to prevent a future attack.

And he said that the department needed to “move away from the thought process as a traditional Police Department and move to the posture as a Protective Agency.”