Steven Sund

Steven A. Sund is an American police officer who served as the tenth chief of the United States Capitol Police. Sund was chief during the storming of the U.S. Capitol. Following the attack, he announced that he would resign, effective January 16, 2021.

Steven Sund
EducationJohns Hopkins University (BS, MS)
Naval Postgraduate School (MA)
OccupationPolice officer

Education

Sund received a B.S. and M.S. from Johns Hopkins University, and a M.A. in homeland security from the Naval Postgraduate School.[1]

Career

Sund was sworn in as the tenth chief of police in June 2019. He joined the United States Capitol Police in 2017 as the assistant chief of police and chief of operations.[1] Sund was a member of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia for more than 25 years, retiring from the force as commander of the Special Operations Division.[1] Before becoming chief, he worked in the private sector for a nonprofit.[1]

Storming of the Capitol
Main article: 2021 storming of the United States Capitol

Sund was chief when, on January 6, 2021, rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol building while Congress was counting the electoral votes of the 2020 presidential election. Rioters were able to reach the chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, marking the first time since 1814 that the Capitol building had been breached.[2] Five people died during the ensuing riot, including a Capitol Police officer who died the following day from injuries sustained during the riot.[3] Two additional police officers who were at the riots later committed suicide: US Capitol police officer Howard Liebengood, and Metropolitan police officer Jeffery Smith

In the immediate aftermath of the riot, Sund issued a statement defending his department's response.[4] Following the riots, law enforcement was heavily criticized for its inadequate response, especially in comparison to the George Floyd protests the previous summer; Capitol Police received a major backlash after video emerged of officers allowing rioters into the Capitol, with one officer filmed taking a selfie with rioters.[5][6][7][8] The following day, Sund and the Capitol Police came under criticism from multiple House members. U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren – who chairs a committee responsible for Capitol security – accused Sund of lying to her before the event, about the preparations he had made and the readiness of the National Guard.[9] House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for Sund's resignation, stating that Sund hadn’t contacted her since the event.[10][4] Sund submitted his resignation that afternoon, which was effective on January 16, 2021.[11] An aide to speaker Pelosi later clarified that Pelosi had indeed spoken with Sund on the evening of January 6, but not after that time.[12]

In the days following the attack, Sund stated that he had asked for National Guard assistance, but his requests were denied six times.[13]

References
  1. "Executive Team". United States Capitol Police. Archived from the original on March 31, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. Salo, Jackie (January 6, 2021). "US Capitol building invaded for first time since War of 1812". New York Post. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  3. Clark, Dartunorro (January 7, 2020). "Capitol Police officer dies from injuries after clashing with pro-Trump mob". NBC News. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  4. Graff, Garrett M. "Behind the Strategic Failure of the Capitol Police". POLITICO. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  5. Leonnig, Carol D.; Davis, Aaron C.; Lamothe, Dan; Fahrenthold, David A. (January 6, 2021). "Capitol breach prompts urgent questions about security failures". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  6. Gramenz, Jack. "Vision emerges of police moving barricades to allow rioters into US Capitol, taking selfies". News.com.au. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  7. Elis, Niv (January 6, 2021). "Capitol Police face heat following mob breach". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  8. McSwane, Logan Jaffe,Lydia DePillis,Isaac Arnsdorf,J David (January 7, 2021). "Capitol Rioters Planned for Weeks in Plain Sight. The Police Weren't Ready". ProPublica. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  9. Everett, Burgess; Caygle, Heather (January 7, 2021). "Top Capitol security officials sacked after deadly riot". Politico. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  10. "Pelosi calls for resignation of Capitol Police chief". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  11. "Latest Updates: Capitol Officer Dies From Injuries Sustained During Riot". NBC Los Angeles. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  12. "Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund Defends Agency's Role In Jan. 6 Attack". 88.5 WFDD. January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  13. "Outgoing U.S. Capitol Police chief says his effort to get help was thwarted - paper". Reuters. January 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.

Further reading
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