Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund provides an unprecedented insider account of January 6th's security response. In this riveting episode, Chief Sund reveals the critical decisions, bureaucratic hurdles, and shocking details of how his officers defended Congress against overwhelming odds.

Key Takeaways:

• 273 Capitol Police officers faced an estimated 30,000 protesters
• The National Guard's response was delayed by 71 minutes due to "optics" concerns
• Despite being vastly outnumbered, officers maintained remarkable restraint with only one shot fired
• The Capitol was cleared within 5 hours, defying predictions of a 24-hour siege

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Episode Introduction

00:03:44 - First Signs of Trouble

00:05:15 - Pipe Bomb Discovery

00:09:50 - National Guard Response Issues

00:14:51 - Single Shot Fired

00:20:31 - How Close Were They?

00:25:01 - Political Aftermath

Resources:

• "Courage Under Fire" by Steven Sund: https://www.amazon.com/Courage-under-Fire-Outnumbered-January-ebook/dp/B0BGJRCHM2

• Citizens Behind the Badge website: https://behindbadge.org

Guest Bio:

Steven Sund served as Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police during January 6th, 2021. With 25 years of decorated service in the Metropolitan D.C. Police and expertise in critical incident management, Sund led the Capitol Police response during one of America's most challenging moments.

Connect with Us:

Dennis Collins - Citizens Behind the Badge Board Member

Bill Erfurth - Former Miami-Dade Police Lieutenant

Craig Floyd - Founder, Citizens Behind the Badge

Related Episodes:

• Episode 1: The Lead-Up to January 6th