Summary of Security, Planning, and Response Failures related to the U.S. Capitol Attack on January 6

Date of Incident: January 6, 2021
Attack aimed to disrupt the certification of presidential election results during a Joint Session of Congress for counting electoral votes for President and Vice President, a constitutionally mandated process.
Rioters, fueled by false claims of election fraud, violently breached the Capitol building, leading to significant damage, multiple deaths, and numerous injuries among law enforcement and rioters.

Intelligence Failures:
- The FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) failed to issue comprehensive pre-event threat assessments, underestimating the potential for violence despite numerous public warnings and social media chatter.
- The U.S. Capitol Police's (USCP) intelligence divisions, including the Intelligence and Interagency Coordination Division (IICD), failed to adequately collect, analyze, and share critical intelligence with front-line officers and partner agencies.
Security Planning Issues:
- The USCP lacked a comprehensive, department-wide operational plan for managing the large-scale protest and potential civil disturbance surrounding the Joint Session, leading to inadequate resource allocation and confusion.
- Insufficient staffing levels were critical, and responding officers were not adequately equipped with appropriate protection gear (e.g., riot shields, helmets) or given sufficient training for violent crowd control scenarios.
Response Failures:
- Ineffective and often incompatible communication systems, coupled with a lack of clear command and control, significantly hindered coordination among USCP units and between federal and local law enforcement during the attack.
- There were substantial delays in the deployment of National Guard assistance due to bureaucratic processes, interagency disagreements over authorization, and a prolonged approval chain, which exacerbated the breach.

For USCP:
- Empower the Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police with direct authority to unilaterally request National Guard assistance in emergencies, eliminating bureaucratic hurdles and requiring no higher political approval.
- Implement a detailed, regularly updated, department-wide operational plan for all significant legislative events and demonstrations, clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and chains of command.
- Establish a formal, permanent Civil Disturbance Unit (CDU) within USCP, ensuring dedicated personnel receive continuous advanced training and are equipped with modern riot control gear.
For Intelligence Agencies:
- Improve methodologies for evaluating and issuing threat assessments, particularly by enhancing capabilities for monitoring and analyzing open-source intelligence, including social media platforms, for signs of potential violence.
- Strengthen interagency intelligence sharing protocols and establish fusion centers focused on domestic threats to ensure timely and actionable intelligence reaches all relevant security partners.
For DOD & National Guard:
- Develop clear, pre-approved contingency plans and protocols for rapid responses to civil disturbances on federal property, specifically around the Capitol Complex, to ensure immediate deployment when requested.
- Enhance communication protocols and establish dedicated interagency liaison teams to improve real-time information exchange and coordination during emergencies.

Following the attack, an extensive investigative process was initiated through joint oversight by key Senate committees, including Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Rules and Administration, which reviewed the systemic failures.
This involved collecting thousands of testimonies, security footage, and documents from all involved agencies to produce a comprehensive report detailing events and identifying areas for improvement.
The investigation seeks continued accountability for security and intelligence lapses and aims to ensure sustained compliance with new security protocols among all agencies involved in Capitol security.

Proposed enhancements include significant departmental reforms, increased funding for security upgrades, and technological improvements for surveillance and communication systems within the Capitol Complex.
Additionally, legislative changes are under consideration to streamline emergency response authorities, clarify command structures, and improve overall security preparedness for federal events and national special security events.
Emphasis will be placed on interagency coordination drills, joint training exercises, and the development of robust protocols for real-time threat detection and response.