The Arlington County Police Department was honored yesterday for its role in defending the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Arlington officers in riot gear helped to defend the Capitol amid the pro-Trump violence at the Capitol. ACPD — along with the Arlington Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police and other regional law enforcement agencies that jumped into action on Jan. 6 — were recognized for that service to the country at a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony yesterday (Tuesday).
Arlington firefighters also provided assistance on that day and were the first medics on the Capitol steps, treating the injured.
Arlington first responders “answered the call to restore order and aid in the defense of the U.S. Capitol,” ACPD said on social media. “Today and every day, we are thankful for their bravery, courage and unwavering commitment to public safety.”
On that day, members of ACPD, @ArlingtonVaFD and @acso_va answered the call to restore order and aid in the defense of the U.S. Capitol. Today and every day, we are thankful for their bravery, courage and unwavering commitment to public safety. pic.twitter.com/NSSIyuhPWh
— ArlingtonCountyPD (@ArlingtonVaPD) December 6, 2022
More on the ceremony, from the Washington Post:
The law enforcement officers who protected lawmakers while defending the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack were awarded Congressional Gold Medals — the highest honor from Congress — nearly two years after the insurrection.
The ceremony took place Tuesday in the Capitol Rotunda, a site many supporters of Donald Trump entered illegally with the hopes of stopping Congress from counting the electoral votes for Joe Biden and overturning the 2020 presidential election.
“Our nation suffered the most staggering assault on democracy since the Civil War,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said during the ceremony, which drew lawmakers, police officers and family members. “January 6th was a day of horror and heartbreak. Yet it’s also a moment of extraordinary heroism.”
The following video shows riot-gear-clad Arlington officers in front of the Capitol the evening of Jan. 6.