Norton Calls For Merging Capitol Complex Police Forces and New Funding Priorities (6/2/08)

Norton Calls for Merging Capitol Complex Police Forces and New Funding Priorities to Create 21st Century Security at the Capitol

June 2, 2008

Washington, D.C. -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a member of the Homeland Security Committee, who also represents this city, issued the following statement today on security problems at the Capitol Complex. She said that prioritized spending among all Capitol Complex policies, moving interoperability above other spending, was necessary, especially in light of the coming opening of the new Capitol Visitors Center that will bring millions of additional visitors to the Capitol. She said that the problems of the police here could not be resolved without joining the Capitol Complex police forces which now operate independently.

After six years and spending billions of dollars in spending on "homeland" security, Congress cannot even rely on its own Capitol Police to communicate with one another, according to media reports, let alone the D.C. police and the scores of other federal police forces charged with security for the world's most visible targets here in the nation's capitol. This absurd result is not the product of too little funding but of too much spending without budgeting according to the most essential priorities. Consequently, for example, Capitol Police personnel increased 50% after 9/11, although the force was already the largest police force per capita in the country. The Park Police, who protect the throngs at national monuments and sites and cover vastly more territory in the national capital region, have struggled to stay even and get the most basic equipment.

Interoperability is but one of the larger pieces of police problems at the Capitol Complex, particularly now that the Capitol Visitors Center is set to open. It is time to create a 21st century police force to protect the Capitol Complex. The Capitol Police and the Library of Congress Police are being merged, but we have yet to take all the essential steps to merge the police forces that protect the assets of the Capitol - the Capitol Police, the Library of Congress Police and the Supreme Court police.

If we are serious about securing our assets, Congress must first establish a mechanism that will assure that new expenditures for security personnel or equipment for police charged with protecting Capitol complex assets are prioritized according to overall Capitol Complex security needs, moving interoperability to the prime position over other spending, including personnel. Interim steps will be necessary to assure timely communication among D.C. Capitol Police.

Meanwhile we must leave altogether the 19th century police force system that can longer adequately protect the 21st century Capitol Complex. After 9/11, Capitol Complex police forces should be merged not only to assure interoperability, efficiency and reasonable expenditures, but most important, to assure the security mandated in post 9-11 Washington.