Attempting to fill a slew of new positions made necessary by the skyrocketing number of threats to members of Congress–some made by other (cough, cough… Republican) members of Congress–the Capitol Police embarked on a hiring spree, Roll Call reports.
Positioning itself as the Congress’s version of the Secret Service, the agency says starting salaries for agents and investigators are set at $81-85,000, with experienced offices transferring in from other agencies or the military eligible for up to $132,000. Capitol Police is responsible for the protection of members of Congress, both in Washington, DC and in their home districts. Incidents such as the one at Washington Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal’s home, where an angry Trump supporter shot at her house.
There were 7,501 threats to members of Congress investigated by the Capitol Police in 2022, significantly lower than the 9,500+ from 2021, fueled by the right-wing hatred over Donald Trump failed coup attempt and the subsequent investigations.