| United States Capitol Police Department | |
| Common name | Capitol Police |
| Abbreviation | USCP |
| Logo of the United States Capitol Police Department | |
| Motto | Wear the badge. Feel the honor.[1] |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1828 |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Federal agency (Operations jurisdiction) |
United States |
| Legal jurisdiction | Congressional buildings, parks, and thoroughfares. Members of Congress, Officers of Congress, and their families throughout the United States, its territories and possessions. |
| Constituting instrument | United States Code, Title 2, Chapter 29 |
| General nature | |
| Specialist jurisdiction | Buildings and lands occupied or explicitly controlled by the institution and the institution's personnel, and public entering the buildings and precincts of the institution. |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 119 D Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20510 |
| Officers | 1,800 |
| Agency executive | Philip D. Morse, Chief of Police |
| Units |
10
|
| Website | |
| www.uscapitolpolice.gov | |
The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is a federal police force charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories.
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Created by Congress in 1828 following the assault on a son of John Quincy Adams in the Capitol rotunda, the original duty of the United States Capitol Police was to provide security for the United States Capitol.[2] Its mission has expanded to provide the Congressional community and its visitors with a variety of security services. These services are provided through the use of a variety of specialty support units, a network of foot and vehicular patrols, fixed posts, a full-time Containment and Emergency Response Team (CERT), K-9, a Patrol/Mobile Response Division and a full time Hazardous Devices and Hazardous Materials Sections.[3][4] The Library of Congress Police were merged into the force in 2003.[5] The agency has 1,700 members as of 2007.
Today's United States Capitol Police officer has the primary responsibility for protecting life and property; preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal acts; and enforcing traffic regulations throughout a large complex of congressional buildings, parks, and thoroughfares. The Capitol Police has exclusive jurisdiction within the United States Capitol Grounds and has concurrent jurisdiction with other law enforcement agencies, including the United States Park Police and the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, in an area of approximately 200 blocks around the complex. Additionally, they are charged with the protection of members of Congress, officers of Congress, and their families throughout the entire United States, its territories and possessions, and the District of Columbia.
Three USCP officers have been killed in the line of duty. A 1984 training accident killed Sergeant Christopher Eney, while a mentally disturbed gunman named Russell Eugene Weston Jr. killed Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson in a shootout on July 24, 1998. Chestnut and Gibson were laid in honor in the Rotunda before burial in Arlington National Cemetery. (Chestnut was the first African American ever to lie in honor in the Rotunda.)
The U.S. Capitol Police is one of many agencies that sends its recruits to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (F.L.E.T.C.), located in Glynco, GA for initial training. Rarely, recruits are sent to the FLETC location in Artesia, NM. Following 12 weeks at FLETC, recruits return to FLETC's location in Cheltenham MD for an additional 13 weeks of training. Following the recruits academy training, they are sworn in as law enforcement officers and assigned to 1 of 3 divisions to begin their careers. Initial salary at the start of training is $55,653.00, with an increase to $57,604.00 after graduation. After 30 months of satisfactory performance, and promotion to (PFC) Private First Class; salary is increased to $64,590.00.[6]
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police | |
| Assistant Chief | |
| Deputy Chief | |
| Inspector | |
| Captain | |
| Lieutenant | |
| Sergeant | |
| Detective/MPO | |
| Technician | |
| Private First Class | |
| Private with Training | |
| Private |