By Steve Neavling
Since the Jan. 6 riot in Washington D.C., about 130 Capitol Police officers have left their jobs, a Senate panel was told Tuesday.
There are now more than 230 vacancies in the roughly 2,000-officer force.
“They are down significantly (in) officers and they need to bring … folks on that can augment that,” Michael Bolton, the inspector general for Capitol Police, told the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, USA Today reports.
The Capitol riot left about 140 officers injured, and five have died since. Two of the deaths were Capitol Police officers, including Brian Sicknick, who died from a stroke the following day, and Howard Liebengood, who committed suicide days later.
While Bolton said morale has improved since the riot, he said there are concerns about overtime and recruiting.
A House task force in April recommended hiring 854 officers, including 350 to reduce an alarming increase in overtime.
Congress still hasn’t decided on funding for the department.
“This work is crucial to securing the work of the Capitol,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who heads the committee, said.
