Bill Text: VA SR506 | 2021 | 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commending the Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-02-18 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR506ER) [SR506 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2021-SR506-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, beginning on January 6, 2021, members of the Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard from throughout the Commonwealth mobilized and responded to the attack and insurrection at the United States Capitol Building; and
WHEREAS, prior to the counting of Electoral College votes by a joint session of United States Congress, the Virginia State Police coordinated with other law-enforcement agencies to monitor intelligence reports and address potential threats; and
WHEREAS, on the day of the count, the Virginia State Police prepared 71 troopers from the Division 7 Fairfax office to respond to any immediate incidents in Fairfax County or Northern Virginia, while the Division 2 Culpeper office placed a quick-reaction platoon of an additional 60 troopers on call in the event of an emergency; and
WHEREAS, at approximately 2:20 p.m., the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, acting on behalf of the United States Capitol Police, requested assistance, and the Virginia State Police relocated the troopers from the Fairfax office to Arlington County to await further instructions; and
WHEREAS, law-enforcement officers at the United States Capitol estimated that there were 75,000 attendees for the "Stop the Steal" rally around the building, and as the count continued, members of the rally turned into a violent insurrection and broke through barricades, with hundreds of individuals ultimately breaching doors and windows to enter the building and storm congressional offices and chambers; and
WHEREAS, after the Virginia State Police received a formal request for 200 troopers, the platoon from the Fairfax division immediately deployed to the United States Capitol grounds, followed by the platoon from the Culpeper division; an additional 100 troopers from the Richmond and Chesapeake divisions were activated and responded promptly with no forewarning; and
WHEREAS, the troopers from Fairfax, equipped with civil disturbance gear, were led through underground passageways to the lower west terrace, where insurrectionists, many of whom were armed, were attempting to breach the doors to the United States Capitol Building; and
WHEREAS, members of the Virginia State Police, the United States Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department courageously engaged the insurrectionists, clearing the first level of the inauguration stage in the face of extreme violence and aggression; and
WHEREAS, members of the Virginia State Police and the other law-enforcement agencies maintained the initiative and pushed the insurrectionists down to the second level of the inauguration stage and away from the United States Capitol; and
WHEREAS, the members of the Virginia State Police were met with extreme aggression and violence, which necessitated the deployment of various types of crowd control munitions to gain control of the chaotic situation; and
WHEREAS, the members of the Virginia State Police continued to engage the insurrectionists with other law enforcement agencies by pushing them into the street and removing them from the overall grounds of the United States Capitol; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia State Police observed numerous insurrectionists carrying loaded firearm magazines, knives, axes, fire extinguishers, sledge hammers, and pick axes, and similar items were later found on the floors inside and outside of the United States Capitol and its grounds; and
WHEREAS, Senior Trooper Kenneth Terry prevented a serious injury to a Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer whose uniform caught fire as a result of a flammable canister being thrown at the officer by deploying a COLD FIRE extinguisher to put out the fire; and
WHEREAS, Senior Trooper Medic Christopher Grzelak was one of the first medics who rendered aid to United States Capitol Police Officer and fellow Virginian Brian Sicknick who collapsed and later died due to injuries he sustained during the insurrection; and
WHEREAS, after the engagement, the Virginia State Police established a defensive perimeter at the west entrance to the United States Capitol Building; no Virginia state troopers were injured while retaking the building; and
WHEREAS, executive and command staff of the Virginia State Police established an incident command center at the Area 45 Arlington office, and troopers from the Fairfax, Culpeper, Richmond, Chesapeake, Appomattox, and Salem divisions helped provide 24-hour security until January 8, 2021, when complete control of the Capitol grounds was restored; and
WHEREAS, in response to a request for assistance from Mayor Muriel Bowser, Governor Ralph Northam also authorized the Virginia National Guard to deploy to Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, on January 7, the Virginia National Guard quickly mustered personnel, many of whom unexpectedly had to leave their families and full-time jobs, and departed for Washington, D.C., to provide security at the United States Capitol; approximately 2,000 Virginia National Guard personnel had deployed to the area by the following weekend; and
WHEREAS, Virginia National Guard personnel integrated with the local law-enforcement security plan to protect property and safeguard local residents and government officials, remaining on duty through the presidential inauguration on January 20; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the deployment to Washington, D.C., the Virginia National Guard has also played a critical role in the Commonwealth's response to the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021 by distributing personal protective equipment to frontline workers and assisting the Virginia Department of Health with the planning, logistics, and administration of COVID-19 tests and vaccinations; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard ably served the Commonwealth and the nation and responded to an extraordinary situation with the utmost distinction, demonstrating courage, composure, fortitude, and a strong commitment to safeguarding the founding ideals and institutions of the United States; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard hereby be commended for their performance above and beyond their duties during and after the insurrection on January 6, 2021, to defend the seat of government of the United States of America and restore order at the United States Capitol Building; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for their professionalism during this unprecedented incident.
