USCP Threat Assessment Cases for 2024
The number of United States Capitol Police (USCP) threat assessment cases has climbed for the second year in a row. In 2024, the USCP’s Threat Assessment Section (TAS) investigated 9,474 concerning statements and direct threats against the Members of Congress, including their families and staff. The number of concerning statements and direct threats usually increases during election years.
Here are the TAS case numbers for the last five years:
- 8,008 in 2023
- 7,501 in 2022
- 9,625 in 2021
- 8,613 in 2020
- 6,955 in 2019
- 5,206 in 2018
- 3,939 in 2017
United States Capitol Police special agents work 24/7 to investigate threats and coordinate with law enforcement agencies to prevent potential attacks against lawmakers. Members of Congress of both political parties receive a wide range of threats and concerning statements that are sent through the mail, email, telephone, social media, and the internet. People continue to have a false sense of anonymity on social media, which has resulted in more investigations during the past several years. Decreasing violent political rhetoric is one of the best ways to decrease the number of threats across the country. USCP special agents partner with federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the country to investigate and mitigate threats to Members of Congress, their families, staff and district offices.
“Our team has completed all of the 103 Inspector General recommendations regarding the safety of the U.S. Capitol after January 6, but we must keep working to ensure the safety of the Congress while the Members are away from Capitol Grounds,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger. “We must continue to enhance our protective and intelligence operations to keep up with this evolving threat environment.”
The USCP recently launched a new Protective Intelligence Operations Center (PIOC), which receives, and processes reports regarding the safety of the Members of Congress. As the Protective Intelligence Operations Center grows, it will help improve the Department’s protective and intelligence operations by evaluating directions of interest and threat cases to assess behaviors. Cases that require additional investigative action will be referred to the USCP’s Investigations Division.
We continue to closely coordinate with the House & Senate Sergeant at Arms offices to enhance security for Members of Congress at their homes and at Congressional events. The USCP and the Sergeant at Arms also offer security awareness training to Members and their staff. Their partnerships, along with assistance from local law enforcement agencies across the country, are extremely important to keep everyone safe.
To better protect the Legislative Branch, the USCP hired attorneys and detailed them to work for the Department of Justice (DOJ) as prosecutors who specialize in the unique types of threat cases faced by the Congress. The Special Assistant U.S. Attorney’s (SAUSAs) work is controlled and assigned by the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO). They are assigned to the areas where we have the highest number of cases – including Washington, D.C., Florida, and California. In the past year, the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Florida successfully prosecuted jury trials in a Congressional threat case in Fort Lauderdale, and a case involving a bomb threat to a Congressional office in Tampa. The SAUSA in D.C. prosecuted a violent street gang behind a series of armed robberies. All three defendants were convicted. This is in addition to the conviction of a man who threatened Congressional staff members. Each SAUSA is currently handling between 20 and 25 cases.