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‘Our service will speak for itself': Former Capitol Police acting chief on pardons

Dr. Yogananda Pittman says January 6th defendants who might be pardoned by President-elect Donald Trump should be "held accountable"

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The former assistant chief and acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police voiced concerns about January 6th defendants receiving pardons from President-elect Donald Trump.

"We want to make sure those that harmed law enforcement officials acting in their official capacity are held accountable," Dr. Yogananda Pittman told News4 Monday. Pittman is now chief of police for the University of California, Berkeley. She served as the acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) after the insurrection.

Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick collapsed hours after the riot and died in what's considered a line-of-duty death the day after the insurrection.

"When I think of Ms. Gladys Sicknick, who lost her son, Officer Brian Sicknick, my heart breaks having that up-close-and-personal relationship. When I think of Officer Howie Liebengood, who the United States Capitol Police has a wellness center named after Howie because he lost his life after January 6th," Pittman said.

Pittman said January 6th changed the agency's security measures and operations.

"We had to change the way we did tactics. We changed the way we did training. We changed the way that we communicated with each other. I believe our relationships in the National Capital Region are stronger because of what we experienced on January 6th."

With just a few hours remaining in office, President Joe Biden issued a slew of pardons Monday morning to preemptively protect people President-elect Donald Trump had threatened.

Biden pardoned former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, members and staff on the committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol and U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before that committee.

When asked about Biden's pardons to officers, Pittman said she was confident that officers who served on January 6th did their duty to protect the nation's capital.

"If there are those that questioned the manner in which we provided that protection, we are open to answer any questions by the community and by the public. We're obligated to answer for our actions," she said.

"I would hope that more importantly than being pardoned, that we are recognized for the service that we provided to protect and serve the nation's capital on that day. I believe our service will speak for itself."

"On January 6th, 2021, I was just doing my job and fulfilling my oath to defend this country. American citizens attacked the Capitol, injuring me and my colleagues. My colleagues and I protected all elected officials, regardless of what party they belonged," retired Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell said in a statement Monday morning. "I, an immigrant, nearly lost my life defending the Constitution and the rule of law in the building that President Trump will walk through to be sworn in."

"Thank you to President Biden for upholding our nation’s democracy, for your years of service to this country, and — in your final moments as commander-in-chief — issuing preemptive pardons for me and my colleagues. It should not have resulted in this, but this is what it has come to," Gonell said.

This story includes reporting from NBC News.

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