TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1991. CAPITOL POLICE BOARD WITNESSES MARTHA S. POPE, SERGEANT AT ARMS AND DOORKEEPER, U.S. SENATE, AND CHAIRMAN, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE BOARD JACK RUSS, SERGEANT AT ARMS, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND MEMBER, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE BOARD GEORGE M. WHITE, ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL AND MEMBER, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE BOARD FRANK A. KERRIGAN, CHIEF OF POLICE, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE Mr. FAZIO. We have a supplemental request for the Capitol Police. Ms. Pope would you proceed with your statement please. MS. POPE'S STATEMENT Ms. POPE. I think in the interest of saving time, I will just very briefly summarize my testimony. As you noted, we are going to request a supplemental appropriation, largely because of increased security needs due to the Desert Storm operation. The police have been on 12-hour shifts, and they have been doing a superb job. But, their resources are strained right now. What we are requesting, just very generally for the supplemental, would be a total of $11.5 million in supplemental funding for Fiscal Year 1991. Approximately, $10 million of that would be for overtime. We also request funding for 10 additional civilian freight handlers for the off-site delivery center and would like to convert 12 of the anticipated 50 House civilian positions to canine officers. There is an additional $1.2 million in supplies and equipment. That would be for the supplemental request we make. I will be happy to answer any questions the Subcommittee might have. Mr. FAZIO. Thank you Ms. Pope. Chief Kerrigan do you have a statement at this time? CHIEF KERRIGAN'S STATEMENT Chief KERRIGAN. Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee, I am honored to meet with you today to discuss the Fiscal Year 1992 budget request for the Capitol Police. The need for security has never been more evident than has been shown in the past few weeks. Desert Storm has placed a tremendous strain on the members of the Capitol Police Force, their families, and the Congressional com munity as a whole. I am proud to say that we have 12 members of our police force actively serving in the Middle East. Recently, I submitted an urgent supplemental request to the police board for $11.5 million to meet the demands placed upon our police force as a result of the heightened security. These funds are requested to cover the dramatic increase in the amount of overtime worked in the past few weeks, as well as that which is projected for the future. At present, we are spending approximately $325,500 a week for overtime to meet our current security requirements. At this rate, our Fiscal Year 1991 overtime allocation of $2,300,000 will be exhausted on or before February 22, 1991. We are taking steps to try to stretch that. We will discuss that a little bit later on. In addition to the increase in manhours, these funds are necessary to meet the increase in supplies and equipment needed for the off-site delivery center and to outfit the department with CDU equipment. The Civil Disturbance Unit includes the people that go out and handle the crowds during demonstrations. Mr. FAZIO. That is assuming they get out of hand, they have a civil disturbance? Chief KERRIGAN. That is right. We are performing expanded screening procedures and are requesting an additional 12 canine teams, in addition to 10 civilian freight handlers. Mr. FAZIO. I have a question I will submit to be answered for the record. [The question and response follow:] Question. I think it is very responsible of you to formulate a supplemental request based on the increased security needs brought on by Desert Storm. Obviously, we have to take all possible steps to ensure safety of the Capitol complex. Is there any practical alternative to outright purchase of new equipment? For example, if the committee approves your request, when Desert Storm ends, will you be able to make good use of the new canine teams and freight handlers? Response. It is the consensus of the intelligence community and information received from other local law enforcement agencies that the threat of terrorism will be as great or even greater after the war. We plan to maintain the present level of security with regards to inspecting vehicles, and etc. at the Off-site Delivery Center and Hart Loading Platform, as well as other security checks currently in place. There does not seem to be an alternative to the outright purchase of new equipment. During the KKK demonstration we borrowed gas masks, riot shields, and helmets from the Army at a cost of approximately $10,000 (for shipping). During times like the current Middle East crisis, it would be nearly impossible to borrow such equipment. [CLERK'S NOTE.-The Capitol Police Board submitted the following in connection with a security supplemental.] Hon. VIC FAZIO, U.S. CAPITOL POLICE BOARD, THE CAPITOL, Washington, DC, January 31, 1991. Chairman, Subcommittee on Legislative Appropriations, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: After consulting with Chief Kerrigan regarding security concerns for the Capitol Complex, in light of the Middle East crisis, the Capitol Police Board is submitting an urgent request for supplemental funding for FY91 to adequately meet the projected costs associated with our increased security posture. The Board is in full agreement with Chief Kerrigan's assessment and decision to implement these measures as a result of Operation Desert Storm. To provide the level of coverage necessary to ensure the protection of the Congressional community, a majority of the Capitol Police personnel have been required to work twelve hour tours of duty. The cost associated with this manpower requirement in overtime expense alone is approximately $325,500 per week. At this rate, the $2,300,000 appropriated for FY91 will be exhausted by February 22, 1991. Therefore, the Police are requesting an additional $10,091,000 for overtime expenses. An additional $1,413,000 is requested to provide funding for the additional personnel and equipment that the Capitol Police Board has determined to be the minimum requirement to provide the necessary security level. I have attached a more detailed summary of their request with their supporting justification for this urgent request. Briefly, it is our desire to increase the Capitol Police K-9 Corps from twenty-four teams (handler and canine) to thirty-six teams. This increase will provide the requisite coverage for the D Street Garage entrance to the Hart Building, the security sweeps in and around the Capitol buildings and vehicle access points, and the increased workload at the Off-Site Delivery Center. Funding is also requested to hire additional civilian personnel (freight handlers) for the Off-Site Delivery Center. These personnel are urgently needed to fully staff the three-bay inspection area at the Delivery Center where merchandise being delivered to the Capitol is first unloaded, x-rayed, and then reloaded onto the trucks. As you are aware, this project was started during FY89 to reduce the threat level to the Capitol and it is extremely important to continue this operation in light of present events. The equipment requested is to adequately provide for the protection of our officers with ballistic vests and upgraded weaponry. Some equipment is directly related to the increase requested in our K-9 Corps. A small portion of the funding is also requested to provide additional off-loading equipment for the Off-Site Delivery Center. Again, we emphasize that the Board has reviewed this request from Chief Kerrigan and wholeheartedly supports it. The Board would also like to express our appreciation for your support of the Capitol Police and the mission they perform. As you will be able to ascertain from the accompanying documentation, the Capitol Police will soon exhaust their appropriated funding for overtime. Therefore, your committee's expeditious consideration of this request is most appreciated. Sincerely, MARTHA S. POPE, Chairman, Capitol Police Board. Member, Capitol Police Board. Member, Capitol Police Board. U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Hon. RICHARD G. DARMAN, OFFICE OF THE CLERK, Washington, DC, February 13, 1991. Director, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, Executive Office Building, Washington, DC. DEAR MR. DARMAN: With regard to the fiscal year 1991 supplemental recently submitted for the Capitol Police Salaries account and the General Expenses account I would like to submit the following language for each supplemental. CAPITOL POLICE SALARIES "For additional expenses for the Capitol Police-Salaries for the House, $5,147,000, to be disbursed by the Clerk of the House and for the Senate, $5,171,000 to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.” CAPITOL POLICE-GENERAL EXPENSES "For an additional amount for the Capitol Police, General Expenses $1,186,000, to be disbursed by the Clerk of the House.' With kind regards, I am Sincerely, DONNALD K. ANDERSON, Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. URGENT SUPPlemental ReQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 1991 Overtime: Using 1/11/91-1/24/91 as the basis, the USCP are working an average of 14,000 hours of additional duty per week, at an average cost of $23.25 per hour. 10/1/90-2/22/91-2/23/91-9/30/91-31 weeks (31 at $325,500-$10,090,500) (14,000 at $23.25 $325,500 per week) $2,300,000 appropriated for FY91 (Projected to be exhausted by 2/22/91). Additional required for FY91 at current rate of expenditures....... Overtime total Personnel: Salaries and benefits for 10 Freight Handlers (Civilians) for six months (April-September 1991).... $10,090,500 10,090,500 125,422 Upgrade 12 of the 50 proposed Civilian positions to Police K-9 positions. This will result in only 38 Police positions being converted to Civilian positions during FY91... 101,826 Off-Loading Equipment for Off-Site Delivery Center (Electric Pallet truck, hand lift truck, ramps, etc.). 15,000 K-9 Food for six months (April-September 1991). 3,410 K-9 Vet Contract for six months (April-September 1991) 3,341 |