Before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Rules and Administration Statement of the Honorable Michael C Stenger Former Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper United States Senate Joint Hearing Examining the January 6 Attack on the U S Capitol Date February 23 2021 at 10 00am SD-G50 via videoconference Chairwoman Klobuchar Chairman Peters Senator Blunt and Senator Portman I respectfully submit the following opening remarks for consideration at the joint hearing “Examining the January 6 Attack on the U S Capitol” The National Capital Region is a unique environment for law enforcement The U S Capitol Police in conjunction with the Sergeants at Arms work to provide security of the Capitol complex and its population but there is a shared responsibility with other law enforcement groups within the National Capital Region The sharing of information and resources is paramount for success Since assuming the position of the Senate Sergeant at Arms enhancement of the working relationship between my office and the US Capitol Police has been a priority I am a proponent of the concept of Intelligence Led Policing This methodology can be used in assessing threats to individual members as well as threats to the campus As in all intelligence operations it is only as good as the analyst assessing it and the assessment is then placed in the hands of appropriate leadership to take proper steps in order to mitigate any threat We have to be careful of returning to a time when possibility rather than probability drives security planning Though the events of January 6th certainly reveal that a review of Intelligence Led Policing should be done returning to the concept of possibility driving security operations may result in the poor use of resources This is the constant give and take of security planning The Capitol Police Board made up of the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police provides general goals and objectives to the U S Capitol Police which should be done on a fair equitable and bipartisan basis There is an opportunity to learn lessons from the events of January 6th Investigations should be considered as to funding and travel of what appears to be professional agitators First Amendment rights should always be considered in conjunction with professional investigations The law enforcement coordination in the National Capitol Region should be reviewed to determine what can be done in a more efficient and productive manner Intelligence collection and dissemination training and concepts on the use of force must be consistent This integration should be accomplished without regard to self-serving interest and cost In conclusion whenever you prepare for a major event you must always consider the possibility of some form of civil disobedience at these demonstrations and plan accordingly The events of January 6th went beyond disobedience This was a violent coordinated attack where the loss of life could have been much worse This concludes my prepared remarks