Yahoo News Capitol Police Monitoring 'Thousands' of Cases Across U.S. Following Paul Pelosi Hammer Attack
Justin Sullivan/Getty The Pelosi home in San Francisco after Paul was attacked
The United States Capitol Police is amplifying its congressional security efforts following the life-threatening attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, in San Francisco last week.
"Friday's attack against Paul Pelosi is an alarming reminder of the dangerous threats elected officials and public figures face during today's contentious political climate," Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in a statement Tuesday. "After the 2011 shooting of Representative Gabby Giffords and the 2017 shooting of Representative Steve Scalise, the United States Capitol Police (USCP) made security improvements."
"With the increasing number of threats against elected officials from city council members to federal judges," Manger added, "our work to further our efforts to protect the Members of Congress becomes increasingly urgent."
Manger said that the USCP is expected to meet its goal of hiring around 280 new officers by the end of the year, but noted that it takes time to send recruits through the academy, meaning they won't all be on the job right away. Efforts to expand the department's services were already underway before the Pelosi attack, in response to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
"We believe today's political climate calls for more resources to provide additional layers of physical security for Members of Congress," he said. "Hopefully you can understand that we cannot disclose the details about these improvements because our country cannot afford to make it easier for any potential bad actors."
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According to Manger, the USCP is monitoring "thousands of cases" across the U.S. right now in an effort to prevent threatened violence from actually occurring. "During the past five-years, roughly 12-percent of cases — in which we identified people making threats — have been prosecuted. We hope to see more of these cases prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he said.
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Early Friday morning, 42-year-old David DePape, a right-wing conspiracy theorist, allegedly broke into the Pelosis' San Francisco home in search of the House speaker. She was not present, but her 82-year-old husband, Paul, was. DePape allegedly told police that he could not allow himself to surrender, which ultimately led to him attacking Paul with a hammer before officers could intervene.
Paul, who suffered a skull fracture from the assault and serious injuries to his hands and arm, successfully underwent surgery on Friday, but has a "long road to recovery" ahead, according to Nancy's office.
DePape, meanwhile, was also hospitalized after the incident and now sits behind bars in San Francisco, where he faces a slew of federal and state charges for his alleged actions. He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon.
The USCP is one of many agencies that works with threats to elected officials. As Manger noted, local authorities are integral in their efforts to keep politicians and their families safe.
"While progress has been made, there is still a lot of work to do," Manger said. "The USCP is working tirelessly to keep everyone safe during this tense time in American politics. We understand the urgency of today's challenges and remain committed to our mission."
