J. Thomas Manger, the new chief of the Capitol Police, said the force is facing unprecedented threats to the Capitol and members of Congress, with more than 9,000 credible threats made against representatives since the start of 2021, the Associated Press reports in an exclusive interview.

“We have never had the level of threats against members of Congress that we’re seeing today,” Manger said. “Clearly, we’ve got a bigger job in terms of the protection aspect of our responsibilities, we’ve got a bigger job than we used to.”

Nearly nine months after the Capitol was attacked by a group of domestic terrorists hell bent on overturning the Constitution, Manger says the agency, which has 2,300 officers and non-uniformed employees, has adapted to close some of the security gaps uncovered by the insurrection.  The first test was the September 18th rally for jailed January 6th insurrectionists, for which the department ramped up protection.

“We just were in a position where we could not allow another January 6th,” he said. “And I really needed to ensure that the men and women of the Capitol Police department understood that we had the resources we need, the training that we needed, the equipment that we needed, and the staffing that we needed to ensure that they could do their job and do it safely.”

The Capitol Police is not only responsible for securing the Capitol building and the surrounding complex, including office buildings; it is also responsible for the safety and security of members of Congress and Congressional staff.  The 9,000 threats, nearly half of which were received in the first quarter of the year, pushes the limits of the department.

The former police chief for Montgomery County, Maryland, Manger noted that the department has worked to increase cooperation with local police departments and federal law enforcement agencies to facilitate protection details for members of Congress.