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Capitol Police Find Hurdles on Path to Reform
Once a corps of untrained guards chosen by lawmakers, the force has tried to adapt to a more urgent level of threats.
(By Linda Davidson -- The Washington Post)
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And, although lawmakers insist on top-notch security, they don't always appreciate it when measures apply to them. In 2006, then-Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) allegedly struck a Capitol Police officer after he refused to allow her to go around a House office building metal detector.
Capitol Police officers have suggested that pressure from lawmakers or staff members might have contributed to the failure of bomb experts to initially spot an improvised explosive in a trash-filled truck parked near the Capitol by a gunman in January.
Sgt. Michael DeCarlo, the senior Capitol Police bomb technician on the scene, testified in court proceedings that his team was "rushed" by supervisors during the truck inspection, which shut down roads just before the start of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
Morse denied that any congressional pressure curtailed the search. He said police supervisors had failed to completely follow policies for bomb inspections. DeCarlo and two other supervisors were reassigned after the incident.
"We have policies and we have procedures, and we have front-line supervisors who were out there to ensure that those things happened in the order in which they should," Morse said.
The recent spate of well-publicized problems has heightened anxieties in the Capitol Police chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, which is considering holding a no-confidence vote on Morse.
Union members say top leaders have not acknowledged their own errors but are getting tough on officers who make mistakes. They also complain about a lack of communication.
And, although Gainer was a vocal supporter of his officers, Morse has a more reticent and businesslike style that has dismayed some officers.
"Contrary to popular belief, we still care what people think about the department," said union member Michael J. Detorie.
Morse said he had "a great deal of respect" for the union and hoped to meet soon with its leaders. He added that he was frustrated that recent news coverage had missed the "heroic acts" of officers, including those who stopped the gunman in January.
"We do have accountability. There's no police department that doesn't," Morse said, adding that he made his decisions looking at "all the facts, both sides of the story."
Still, he said, "I don't make popular decisions. I make decisions that are best for the organization."
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