"'They're asked to be everything to everybody,' said Terry Gainer, a former Capitol Police chief. 'You need to be ready at the drop of a hat to take very aggressive enforcement action, but you also have to be a person who will welcome visitors and be a tour guide.'"
"'These men and women are paying the price,' Britt said. 'It's absolutely selfish and ridiculous. It's heartbreaking. People have mortgages, they have families.'"
"'Banks and landlords do not give my officers a pass.'"
"'What I find really strange is that there doesn't seem to be any negotiation going on at all and yet we're walking among people who are directly impacted by this,' Morelle said."
The government shutdown left Capitol Police officers working without pay, with many missing their first full paycheck on Oct. 10. Officers continue to perform demanding duties that require readiness for aggressive enforcement actions while also serving public-facing roles like welcoming visitors and giving tours. The force comprises more than 2,000 officers and faces growing threats and violence. Union leadership urged lawmakers to end the shutdown, warning that banks and landlords still expect payments. Some lawmakers expressed sympathy and frustration over stalled negotiations, and the administration signaled plans to repurpose funds to pay federal law enforcement amid legal questions.
Read at www.npr.org
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