Courage Under Fire: Under Siege and Outnumbered 58 to 1 on January 6

by Steven A. Sund

One of the darkest days in American history became an extraordinary story of courage under fire.

Courage under Fire is United States Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund’s gripping personal account that takes readers inside the events leading up to January 6, and provides a detailed and harrowing minute-by-minute account of the attack on the US Capitol, which was valiantly defended in hand-to-hand combat by the US Capitol Police officers who found themselves outnumbered fifty-eight to one.

Courage under Fire contains never-before-seen photographs and draws upon audio recordings, key documents, and government records as it traces Sund’s extraordinary journey from his command post on January 6 to his explosive behind-closed-doors testimony before the January 6 committee.

Steven A. Sund, one of only ten men in history to hold the title of Chief of the US Capitol Police, has coordinated dozens of National Special Security Events, responded to numerous critical incidents and active shooter events, and has protected every living US president. But nothing could have prepared him for the violent attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Three days before the attack, Chief Sund requested the assistance of the National Guard. This request was denied. In preparation for the Joint Session of Congress, Chief Sund directed every available sworn officer to be on duty to protect the Capitol and all of its members and staff.

But it wasn’t enough.

The savage attack that followed was a well-planned and carefully coordinated armed assault on the United States Capitol, involving thousands. The shock and horror of this attack exploded on TV screens worldwide as US Capitol Police officers under Chief Sund’s command found themselves facing a violent siege, hit with pipes, fire extinguishers, boards, and flag poles. Dedicated men and women were knocked unconscious and sprayed with mace and bear spray as live pipe bombs were discovered at the national headquarters of both major political parties.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir, Crime

396 pages, Hardcover

Published January 3, 2023

Reviews

[Georgiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today is the two year anniversary of the violence intended to cover up the unprecedented, unconstitutional and fraudulent attempt to overthrow our government. Yes, an attempted coup. Maga types will continue to spout fantasy nonsense and ignore the facts. And, of course, blue lives don't matter to these people when those police officers are thwarting their treason. So, after watching several interviews with Captain Sund, I am writing this review to counter the low ratings from the flat earth brigade.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The following are a sampling of actual tweets, e-mails, texts, or posts from various social media sites gathered by the intelligence community prior to the events of January 6:

“Be ready to fight. Congress needs to hear glass breaking, doors being kicked in , and blood from their BLM and Pantifa slave soldiers being spilled. Get violent, stop calling this a march, or rally, or a protest. Go there ready for war. We get our President or we die. NOTHING else will achieve that goal.”

“Deploy Capitol Police to restrict movement. Anyone going armed needs to be mentally prepared to draw down on LEOs [law enforcement officers]. Let them shoot first, but make sure they know what happens if they do.”

“Get into Capitol Building, stand outside Congress. Be in the room next to them. They won’t have time to run if they play dumb.”

“You might have to kill the palace guards. Are you ok with that?”


Steven Sund’s memoir “Courage Under Fire” is the most definitive and important account of what happened on January 6, 2021 that I have yet read. Sund was the tenth Chief of Police for the United States Capitol Police (USCP). The events of that day happened under his watch. He was fired from his job on January 8, 2021.

He did not take his job nor his responsibilities lightly. He did not act cowardly or stupidly on that day, despite what media figures and Congress members initially reported. He did not “pass the buck” of blame to the men and women below him. On the contrary, he believed that the men and women of the USCP, as well as the other law enforcement entities that stepped in to assist, acted heroically and intelligently to prevent a much larger tragedy.

He paints a troubling picture, though, of a government in which a breakdown of intelligence and chain of command made a bad situation worse. He also makes the even more troubling insinuation (and he is not the only one) that the people who truly fucked up that day are still enjoying their jobs, while the ones who performed admirably were either fired or demoted and the blame was being laid on them.

Let’s start with the breakdown of the chain of command. The following people comprised the Capitol Police Board (CPD) on January 6, 2021:

*Michael Stenger, United States Senate sergeant at arms and chair. The late Mr. Stenger was ousted on January 7 by Mitch McConnell. He was forced to resign. Chuck Schumer said that he would campaign to get him fired if he didn’t resign.

*Paul Irving, U.S. House of Representatives sergeant at arms. Nancy Pelosi ousted him on January 7, forcing him to resign. Irving originally approved a request for National Guard, then lied about it, saying that no such approval was granted. Telephone transcripts proved him wrong.

*J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol. A Trump appointee, Blanton is the only member of the CPD to currently still hold his position, which is a 10-year term. Calls for his resignation have been contentious and vehement to this day.

*Steven Sund, chief of police. Forced to resign by Nancy Pelosi, Sund and his officers were blamed for the events of January 6. Only later, after an investigation, did the officers (minus Sund) receive recognition and praise from Congress for their courageous service that day.

*Yogananda Pittman, Assistant Chief of Protective and Intelligence Operations. Pittman was given the position of Chief of Police after Sund resigned. During a hearing, Pittman essentially said that the USCP should have been better prepared based on the intelligence at the time, in direct contradiction to the intelligence briefings prior to January 6, saying that the probability of civil disobedience was “remote”. She was later forced to resign after the U.S. Capitol Police Labor Committee voted 92% “no confidence” in her leadership.

Here is a brief timeline of significant information and events:

*January 3, 2021: Sund initially requests National Guard presence for the Capitol. Irving poo-poos the idea, saying “I don’t like the optics of that… Besides, I don’t think the intelligence supports it.” Sund then goes to Stenger, who also doesn’t seem pleased with the question but asks Sund to contact General William Walker of the National Guard and ask him his thoughts. That evening, Sund touches base via phone call with Walker. If needed, Walker agrees, he could provide up to 125 troops. All that was needed was approval from the secretary of the army.

*January 4: the Intelligence and Interagency Coordination Division (IICD) issued a daily intelligence report (DIR) that assessed that the probability of civil disobedience and arrests for upcoming January 6 protests at the Capitol were “remote” to “improbable”. It also stated that, at that time, Homeland Security did not have any intelligence of coordinated attacks planned for that day or anything that warranted “elevated or imminent alert”. This was later discovered to be incorrect, as Sund found out the hard way.

*January 5: The negative “optics” of utilizing the National Guard is brought up again. Sund’s request is essentially denied for a second time. The Guard would be used solely for traffic control and to “box out” the demonstrators.

*January 6: The size of the crowds increases rapidly over the course of the morning, as does the aggressive and violent behavior of the demonstrators. Around noon, the demonstrators start swarming the West Terrace, where construction of the inaugural platform is being done. Construction workers are evacuated by police officers, who are also trying to hold metal barricades in place, unsuccessfully. The Capitol Police are officially outnumbered 58 to 1.

*12:58 Sund calls Irving and officially requests the National Guard. Irving responds that he has to “run it up the chain” and that he will get back to him.

*2:09 Sund finally receives approval for the National Guard, nearly an hour after making the request. Rioters have broken through four metal barricades. Many police officers have already been injured at this point.

*Nearly thirty minutes after request for the Guard was approved, Sund receives word that the secretary of the army will not support the request, citing that he doesn’t like the `“visual” of having the Guard at the Capitol. Never mind the “visual” of watching rioters beating Capitol Police officers with flagpoles and bike racks.

*At 4:30 pm, General Walker is finally given permission to send his troops in. At this point, it is too little, too late.

Sund writes that “[a] lot of CYA [cover your ass] was going on after the fact, especially when it came to intelligence.” He admits that he made decisions that day based on the intelligence given to him that day. The facts brought up in subsequent hearing seem to corroborate his testimony.

[Jeff Bobin · Rating 5 out of 5]

With few exceptions what happened on Jan 6, 2021 at the U.S. Captial building was appaling and devestating. Even fewer ever envisioned seeing what we witnessed that day. The overrunning of the Capital building in an attempt to interfer with our election process and the transfer of power.

This is an inside look from the eyes of the one that was leading the defence of the Captial that day. The Chief of the Capital police force. It is an appraisial of all those involved including himself. Whether you agree with him or not it is worth thinking about the insites he brings to make sure this i unlikley to happen again.

It is a good overview of the ineffecient Washington D.C. law enforcement and control systems in place. The many turt wars and protecting territory at the cost of good managment. I found it shocking that if you walk them the front of the Captial building across the street to the U.S. Supreme Court building you will cross five (5) different law enforment territories.

This points out the many challenges that were faced that day and political worries about 'optics' that played such a vital role.

It leave a lot of questions unanswered that we probably will never get hnnest answers to.

Well worth the read!

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some parts of this book, but found other parts to be so focused on defending himself that the point seems missed. This seems to be a book with the intent of clearing his name rather than telling the story/backstory/implications of January 6th. If that's truly his intent, then perhaps my rating should be higher as my rating is more based on what I think the book is supposed to be about (per the title and description.) Regardless, if you want a book that looks at January 6th, I would recommend Officer Fanone's book over this one.

[Cathrine "Capi" · Rating 5 out of 5]

On January 6, 2021, I watched in horror as the US Capitol was overrun by a violent mob. I watched police officers be run over, be bashed with bicycle racks, flag poles, pieces of lumber, and other items meant to harm/kill the valiant police officers who were trying to protect our Capitol and the men and women inside, who were there to record the official results of the November 2020 election - an election that was won fairly by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and that the then-president refused to acknowledge and concede. The horror of that day was something that I recalled watching on news programs in years past of revolts against democracy in third world countries where dictators take office and refuse to give it up, leaving bodies in their wake. I thank Chief Sund for writing this book, and am very sorry he lost his job over some other people's failures. With a better understanding of exactly WHAT happened on that day, and some of the many miscommunications involved, and probably several cover-ups by people who should have done more, I believe that our democracy is in peril, and we must do everything in our power to prevent another insurrection from ever occurring again. I truly believe the January 6 attempted coup could have been MUCH worse, had Chief Sund of the Capitol Police not rallied as many law enforcement colleagues as he was able to do. His attempts to get the National Guard there were hampered by those who didn't like the "optics" of having a military force on site. This book was difficult to read, but definitely worth it.

[Melissa B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through GoodReads First Reads.
This book was not an easy read for many reasons. Lots of acronyms, many people to keep track of, and a very difficult emotional subject.

So much information was covered up, so much misconstrued, and many outright lies.
Mr. Sund quantified his book, footnotes on at least 50% of the pages.

This book was a real eye-opener, I lost respect for many of the people in our government for whom I used to admire. Mr. Sund was rendered a great injustice.

Well written, well organized, well documented.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I seriously doubt the author and I would agree on a lot of things despite his being "apolitical", I found his book compelling. He makes great suggestions about how things should be changed to keep another siege from happening.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been dreading to write this review for months. It's been near four months since I've read it and it took me a while to formulate what I wanted to write.

2020 was hard for many, many people. Nothing seemed easy. The 2020 elections were rough and after Biden was declared the winner, it was apparent Trump would not go gentle into that good night. Living in DC was like living in a hornet's nest. It was buzzing and it felt like someone was going to kick it. A week after Biden was declared, there was the first big Trump march in DC. Another would follow a month later. There was so much animosity between Trump's administration and the transition administration. The news showed this. Trump could not stop tweeting. People were organizing and talking about going to DC more open social media spaces like Facebook and Twitter. The more incendiary hubs like Parler, Telegram, Gab, etc had much more remarks that should have set off warning bells.

New Year's 2021 rolls around and people are already rolling into DC. And if you worked in the Capitol, you were worried something was going to happen. Capitol Police did send out an alert for heightened awareness. There was going to be mass crowds and they were going to be agitated.

Which brings me to Tuesday January 5. Sund talks about going to the office to talk to staff after he was alerted about crowds. I went into work two hours early that morning. I encountered some of the groups already gathering in front of Union Station. That afternoon, people were already buzzing around the Capitol. And standing on one of the upper floors of my office building, I could see the hundreds of people with massive flags and "Fuck Biden" signs. There were protests in front of the Supreme Court and a couple of guys were attempting to build a platform out on the Senate Egg. From inside the building we were wondering about how would we leave. We joked about carrying flags out of the building. I opted to stay home the next day.

There was no way there should have been any surprises and the lack of communication between groups was a major failure. Sund describes how he did his job and he can't believe he was terminated, but considering how there was no communication between him, the Senate and House Sergeants-At-Arms, and others, it really should not be a surprise that there was an overhaul of the entire system. There was going to be a leveling no matter how well you performed that day.

In some ways, I also found this disjointed. A bit of a memoir, a bulleted battle log of January 6, a rationalizing account of the aftermath, and a cathartic release.

By no means do I discount what the force went through and how some members to this day are still recovering. And I understand for those outside the Capitol Complex or Beltway to see this as amazing insider account. But from inside it is a great "How?!" to why everything went as far as it did.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former law enforcement officer, I expected the January 6th event to be violent. The fact that that the City and all of law enforcement agencies weren’t prepared for that, baffled me. However, I also know that what goes on behind the scenes and what the public believes they know, are two different things.

I am really glad that Sund wrote this book. I wanted to hear it from a law enforcement perspective, not a political one. Believe what you want about his personal political views, he acted like the leader I expected someone in his position to act.

I think he did an excellent job of explaining the issues he faced, and his attempts to overcome those challenges. The political leaders needed a scapegoat and he was it. I hope that there is more of an understanding of why this happened with a lead FBI agent being arrested. Sund may be vindicated.

I am sorry Sund and his family had to endure this. I am so sorry for the victims of the insurrectionists. I’m glad Sund was able to publish his side of the story. We are all better for it.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Emotionally tough to read but worth it.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Courage Under Fire,” by former US Capital Police (USCP) chief Steve Sund. Sund was at the head of the department during the January 6 riot and that’s what his book is about. He recounts the planning for the event, the actual days events (in a chapter titled, “Minute by Minute”), and the aftermath, including Nancy Pelosi calling for his resignation. Earlier this year I read another account of that day’s events, that was more of a ground level, one officer’s experience book. Sund’s book looks at events from the USCP command post and gives a better overall understanding of what happened. He highlights the difficulties he faced in getting the DC National Guard to respond. More importantly, he discusses the intelligence failures that led to the USCP seemingly being unprepared. The issue, unfortunately, is that it wasn’t so much an intelligence failure, but a failure of intelligence sharing. There were people in DHS, DOD, and USCP, amongst others who knew there was information stating there would be attacks on law enforcement and attempts to breach the Capitol. This information wasn’t shared with Sund or others planning for the January 6th protests, if it had been, USCP would have been expecting something other than a normal First Amendment protest. Sund is unable to explain (or presumably understand) why this information wasn’t shared. He briefly mentions a fear by some in the intelligence community and the military that President Trump was looking for a “Reichstag moment” to justify declaring martial law or otherwise remaining in office. Sund isn’t arguing that Trump was going to do this or that any of the federal government failures were because of this, he just kind of throws it out there as one possibility.

Overall, “Courage Under Fire” is well done and Sund does a good job of presenting his side of the story and defending the USCP. There are a few sections of the book which are a little dry, such as the description of legal requirements to request the National Guard, I understand why Sund included it and repeated it as needed. It doesn’t happen too often, and you can skim those parts if you want.

I retired from MPD about 13 months prior to the events of this book and so have no direct knowledge of them. However, I’ve known Steve Sund for about 25 years, since he first became lieutenant. While he was with MPD, he was without a doubt one of the most professional and squared away police officials I have known. I worked with him several times while he was Assistant Chief at USCP, when I was assigned to their command post during a special event and nothing on those occasions changed my opinion of him. He and the USCP got a raw deal and continue to take the blame for the events of January 6. Read his book and afterwards tell me if you think they deserve it.

[H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Huge disappointment. Was really looking forward to this book, especially as author narrates himself. I don’t think his linking of TV networks and comparison is accurate. Some viewers look for facts, and truth. (Only one station thus far has had to ‘settle’ a lawsuit for nearly 800 million dollars.
Also his tone of disdain is evident with the mention of some people’s names, mostly female.

Michael Fanone’s book was really good, and look forward to Harry Dunn’s upcoming book.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thorough account of January 6. I personally want to thank Chief Sund for sharing the detailed events surrounding this terrible assault on the Capitol and the brave USCP that showed such courage and competence. This book both clears up a lot of questions and also leaves me with many new ones.

[Bonita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MUST READ TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAME DOWN
Steven A. Sund’s “Courage Under Fire: Under Siege and Outnumbered 58 to1” is a testament and honorarium to the U. S. Capitol Police and all law enforcement groups and first responders who “work to keep their communities safe.” Sund’s “Courage” is best read cover to cover, from title and copyright pages, dedication, content, and through ‘Police Officer’s Prayer,’ “Epilogue,’ ‘About the Author,’ appendix, and glossary. “Courage” is well indexed. Meticulously written and organized, “Courage” concisely narrates the events of the January 6, 2021, attempted assault on elected federal Congress members and the U. S. Vice President by thousands of the public during a joint session of Congress. Throughout “Courage,” with the help of his highly skillful editor, The Story Factory co-founder Shane Salerno, Sund successfully presents a well-organized, concise, and thorough accounting of the public aggressively and violently invading the U. S. Capitol during ratification of the 2020 Presidential election electoral votes. Without distracting from his succinct chronology of events, Sund encapsulates into his narrative the raw emotion that both he and his officers and staff experienced during the public’s tragically brutal and, for some, fatal onslaught against the U. S. Capitol Police and minimal D. C. Metro Police reinforcements. With astonishing literary restraint, Sund describes the political and bureaucratic sabotage to attempted coordinated efforts of the numerous law enforcement jurisdictions in the D. C. area to prevent and counter the Jan 6, 2021, U. S. Capitol Hill riot. Among other important insights, Sund documents House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s indirect and ongoing denial, through then House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving, of National Guard assistance, both days prior to and then during the assault, itself. Respectfully, Sund describes how, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Donald Trump and President-elect Joseph Biden implicate themselves in the use of the January 6, 2021, assault on Capitol Hill as a tool to promote personal political agendas. “Just remember, your role as chief is to be the fall guy if things go bad,” Sund recalls Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger saying to Sund upon Sund’s promotion to Chief of U. S. Capitol Police. Pelosi, Trump, and Biden carried through on Stenger’s assertion to Sund. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Sund’s “Courage” is a critical text for U. S. history class discussion, especially when supplemented with the extraordinary videos from the historical Jan 6, 2021, Capitol Hill event. It is my hope that Sund’s talented and successful editor, Shane Salerno, aggressively, while being politically tactful, promotes Sund’s “Courage” to the overwhelming popularity deserving to Sund’s extraordinary telling of the truth about the January 6, 2021 police effort, and, especially of Sund, himself.
FEB 13,2023 UPDATE TO THIS REVIEW: Of the three Capitol Hill Police Board members to whom former Capitol Hill Police Chief Sund reported at the time of the Jan 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot, all three have resigned or been fired as Feb 13, 2023: Former House Sergeant of Arms Paul Irving resigned Jan 7, 2021; former Senate Sergeant of Arms Michael Stengler resigned Jan 7, 2021; and now former Architect of Capitol Brett Blanton was fired Feb 13, 2023, by President Biden upon recommendation by House Speaker McCarthy following hearings that incriminated Blanton with respect to the Jan 6, 2021 Capitol Hill riot among other job-related infractions unrelated to the Jan 6, 2021 Capitol; Hill riot.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lot I want to say, so this is going to run long.

I joined the Army right after 9/11 and spent most of a 20 year career as a counterintelligence agent. I retired in 2022 and am loving life now.

This book elicits emotions for many people, mainly the riot and breach of the Capitol building itself. But - on my end? It was the other stuff Mr. Sund describes. The politics, the roadblocks in place due to leadership, the disgusting CYA taking place after the fact, the way people behaved behind closed doors.

First. The organizational structure of the Capitol Police (CP) leadership has to be one of the stupidest org structures I have ever seen, on this planet, anywhere for something as important as this police force and what/who they are protecting. Security, law enforcement, military should NOT, NOT, NOT be politically-appointed and beholden to any political party or group. Meaning - this weird inverted pyramid shit with two sergeants at arms? That has to go. Those offices need to be shuttered permanently and command & control of the overall police force completely relegated to a single "Chief." You can't call someone the "Chief" if they're answering to two other people. Especially when something as insanely critical as needing to reach out for National Guard support comes up and you're having to ask a line of people permission. That's the most unsat shit I have ever heard in my life.

Second. To continue from point one. The CP need to not only be outside of the influence of either party, but also be unanswerable to them as well. Meaning - the CP needs to have its own COMPLETE and TOTALLY INDEPENDENT command and control structure that DOES NOT "report" to any of these people sitting in there, for any reason, whatsoever. That some rando senator from BFE, USA has the ability to call up the Chief or whomever and scream on the phone about something for xxx minutes is absurd. Mr. Sund made a very salient point in his book toward the end where he mentions that some of the people in there are acting like celebrities and social media stars. I want to continue that line of thought that one of the most disgusting things I heard an elected official say was that "They're the boss" now - or something to that effect. Actually? No. You're an elected representative, put into that seat by your constituency, with the understanding that you will work for your ENTIRE constituency to better serve them and their needs. That concept has been lost and now? We have Qanon in the fucking place as well. These people have done nothing and are nothing to be worshipped. Especially not with the way they behave behind closed doors when the cameras aren't rolling. Their "say" in the CP needs to be taken away from them. Permanently.

Third. As a former CI agent, the intelligence failure and he-said-she-said is very familiar to me and frankly unsurprising, especially in this "two decades past 9/11" world we're in. That critical and timely intelligence wasn't shared is no surprise to me, and many other IC professionals would probably be unsurprised as well. The timely and accurate share of up-to-the-minute intelligence between all partner organizations is still something that plagues the IC and the government and those responsible within the CP who should have taken the fall for the lack of intelligence likely didn't because the game inspires you to look out for yourself at the expense of others. It's disgusting, but it's human nature.

Fourth. "Optics." The mere use of this word, regarding something as important as security and setting up a response force for an area should tell you everything you need to know about the character of the person/people using the word itself. Usually - at least in the 20 years I was around in the game - when this word came up? The person/people using it would be first in line to screw you over if something went sideways. That Pelosi did what she did and said what she said was zero surprise to me. "Optics" will never outweigh the importance and sanctity of human life - AND - as a veteran, it absolutely disgusted me seeing the major photo ops and videos in the days after the fact where they had the National Guard sleeping in the Capitol Building to "show the Nation we're SeRiOuS." These are the same people, who - less than 24-48 hours prior were disgusted at the mere thought of Soldiers being on the line to help the police out. I too am in the middle politically. Used to be a bit to the right, but I find myself moving more centrally than anything these days. But the behavior described in this work and what was seen on TV and online before, during, and after the fact disgusts me. That some of these people have the gall to call the people who kept them alive names and blame them is sickening.

I appreciate the time Mr. Sund took to write this all out. It is part of a larger series of books I'm working through to understand Qanon, the alt-right, and the events that led up to Jan 6. I hope that - at some point - Mr. Sund is able to find some measure of peace within himself, as well as the families of those officers who lost their lives.

Now - to the actual review.

Mr. Sund could have used a few more chapter breaks. This book read like an extremely long after action report with some slight emotion thrown in here and there, as well as sparse personal opinions, but for what this is - I enjoyed it due to the fact that it laid all the facts out in a clean manner and where needed, Mr. Sund used relevant sources and pictures of text conversations, memos, or tweets to bolster his point. For a first work, this is not bad at all. Though I doubt that any of the cowards who stabbed the CP in the back after that day will ever read it - I was borderline inspired to buy up a copy for every politician sitting in that building and mail them to the Capitol.

This man should have never lost his job the way he did.

[Matt DeVore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book read by the author. It’s a scathing rebuke of politicians from both sides, torturous red tape, military leadership, and his own intelligence unit. As chief, it seems to me he is responsible for his own intelligence unit but still seems like he did the best he could and got a raw deal.

[Todd Huse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I respect Chief Sund and wanted to read his full account of the events surrounding January 6th, 2021.

I highly recommend this book. A lot of things went wrong, many of them "allowed" January 6th to happen.

If you have only read the reports from the media and the politicians, you should read this book to gain additional perspective on why what you read (have been told) is likely inaccurate.

Optics! No one is blameless.

[Rennie Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

On January 6th 2021 a coup took place in our Capitol by the GOP

Though the former leader of the Capitol police has been interviewed extensively by FBI, DHS, & January 6th committee, little information that he provided has filtered out to MSM and us, the rank & file American citizens fighting to preserve our rule of law & democracy.

A coup was attempted by the GOP. Has this ever happened before in our history? What were the steps taken by the GOP to try & turn our Republic into a Dictatorship?

This book is equally important as Mueller's testaments on Trump & GOP's guilt in colluding with Russia in our 2016 election--which we need a redacted version of both volumes.

Besides the espionage & treason that took place, there are still protocols in place that do not protect us, but will make it easy for a 'next time if not addressed & changed.

The amount of people involved in the coup is staggering. Didn't they know that the ultimate penalty for treason & espionage could result in trial, conviction, sentencing, & their possible execution? Just like the Rosenbergs?

A necessary read.

[Susan Haught · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan 6 Questions

If you question the events of January 6, you need to read this account by the former Capitol Police chief, Steven Sund. It's evident this man truly loves law enforcement, loves serving himself, and cards for the men and women who serve.

His account answers many questions about the actual event, proven by his records and those in his department and many other law enforcement agencies involved.

What it doesn't answer is the "why". It raises more questions than it answers, and left me with unequivocal reasons to believe there's more to the story. Much, much more.

It proves to me the J6 Select Committee was a partisan joke. But the entire country knew this. No breaking news there.

It did not answer the question of the murder of Ashli Babbitt. In fact, other than a few paragraphs mentioning her death, Sund did not go into any detail at all, and I wanted to know exactly why it happened. An unarmed woman shot to death when no other protesters were killed that day. Why?

It did not fully answer why some Capitol Police officers were seen leading protesters around or stepping aside, other than a few words on officers who were found guilty of doing just that, officers found guilty of behavior unbecoming an officer or similar charges. Why were some seen escorting the guy with the horns through the Capitol? No mention of it.

Former Chief Sund gives a compelling account and raises the questions we all want to know...was this a planned event and who knew beforehand? The evidence certainly points in that direction.

I strongly believe former Chief Sund was made a scapegoat, to cover up the lack of intelligence communication. I
Based on this book, I happen to believe it was deliberate.

Thank you, Mr. Sund, for having the courage and honor to tell the world what happened that fateful day. The whole truth will come out. Someday.

God bless.

[David Lucero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember 'Seven Days in May'? That was a book I recently finished, having purchased it after the events of January 6, 2021 (a date which should live in Infamy). The question in that book was, "Could this really happen here? A military/political coup.... Here! In the United States?" One of the pages in that book which rings true even today, over fifty years later, is, "If the political climate is just right, then yes, a coup can take place here in the United States of America."

And it did on January 6, 2021. Despite the deniers, we all saw it.... The world saw it on live TV as traitors to America attempted to overthrow our democracy, stop the election results for our next president, all so they could install Donald Trump as dictator in America.

Let that sit with you awhile. It should sit with all of us because the persons responsible for the insurrection are still free as of the date of my review. Every republican senator, congressman, congresswoman, governor, all republican officials holding any public office who supported trump's lies about losing the election are complicit with inciting the insurrection.

But how do you hold one of two major political party's accountable for treason? This same question was asked after World War Two in Germany. German soldiers, politicians, and civilians who committed atrocities were handed light sentences or simply let go in order to gain public support against the Soviet Union, our new enemy. We simply could not afford to lose German support by holding them accountable for crimes against humanity and expect them to stand by us in our fight against the Soviet Union in the Cold War.

That's where we're at today. The traitors who attempted to overturn a legitimate election are free and still governing here in America. Why? Because we do not know how to hold them accountable for treason. I suppose the saying, 'What goes around, comes around,' rings true.

Steven Sund is acting Capitol Police chief. He prepares for the January 6 members of our government to accept the election results denoting Joseph Biden as our next president. Intelligence reports indicate violent protests will happen, and three days before the 6th, he requests National Guard assistance to help maintain order. His requests are denied.

On January 6, Trump supporters stage a coup to attack our capitol and stop the election results from being certified. They overrun police. They battle police with pepper spray and other dangerous chemicals. They fight with batons, fence posts, and anything useful to help breach the police barricades. It is later reported many insurrectionists had firearms but refrained from using them.... waiting for police to fire first.

During the insurrection, Chief Sund calls for military assistance from the Pentagon. They refuse to help. Military generals state they do not want the presence of men in military uniform standing on the steps of the capitol. This despite watching on live television how our capitol was being attacked by traitors hoping to destroy our democracy and put Donald Trump as a dictator. Go figure.

When it is over, people in the highest levels point fingers. Chief Sund is called on by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to resign, citing his failure to prevent the assault on our American capitol. She is one of the government leaders turning down Chief Sund's request on January 3 (three days before the attack) to have members of the National Guard on hand to help maintain order. Speaker Pelosi tells him she does not want members of the military at the capitol. It would send the wrong image. And yet, history shows how we needed them.

The author writes in detailed accounts of what took place during the attack. He also writes about steps leading up to that fateful day, and the aftermath. It was generally assumed the persons responsible would not be held accountable. I mention who I believe are responsible, and to this day they remain free. "The country wants to move on," some will tell us.

I appreciate Sund's position and do not hold him accountable for what happened that day. I hold Donald Trump mostly responsible, and of course his supporters, those who backed his lies and those who attacked the capitol. They are responsible. Sund put in place all he could to prevent such action but was not provided all the tools needed to keep our capitol safe. In the end it is proven he did not fail. The insurrectionists failed to keep the capitol in their hands and not a single member of congress was harmed. Such could not be said for members of the police defending our capitol. God bless them and their families.

Although the author has firsthand knowledge and does a fine job detailing them in his book, he fails to point out who he believes is responsible for the insurrection. Makes me wonder if he was ever 'apolitical' at all, like he states he had to be in his book. I am a veteran, and I know it's impossible to be apolitical. Perhaps he wanted to be that way and truly believed he was. However, if this is the case, he contradicts himself by criticizing President Biden's remarks openly in his book. I didn't read passages of his criticizing Donald Trump for inciting the insurrection. At times the author goes off course, stating how the public and media are against the police, and how the police do not infringe on the civil rights of the very citizens they are sworn to protect. Makes me wonder if he lived most of his life in a bubble. He obviously has heard of George Floyd and Brionna Taylor, because he mentions them in the book index. I've been a supporter of the police and for what they stand all of my life. However, I do not support their 'code of silence' when a member in uniform goes astray. This does not make me their enemy. I simply believe that although most men and women in uniform do their job to the utmost, there are still a few bad apples who give them all a bad name. It's not fair, but that happens in all walks of life.

I am glad I read this book, and doubt there are any others on the same subject that can provide as much detail as Steven Sund was able to. I know a few of the officers attacked and injured that day have published books about their experiences. I am sure they are good and look forward to reading them. But Steven Sund was police chief and certainly had more behind-the-scenes information to offer. I am disappointed he did not call out Donald Trump for his responsibility for what happened. After all, he called out Pelosi and Schumer, Biden too. But trump is still free, and the threat is still real today. A person like Sund could make a difference. But if he's a Trumper....? I admit, Biden has his bad points, but he didn't incite an insurrection. That falls on trump. Why the author refrained from pointing that out is beyond me. How so many people can continue to be devoted to a person whose own aides have stated trump to be 'immature, unprofessional, and a threat to national security,' is beyond me. Look at Mike Flynn, a former army general, and his role in supporting trump. 'Apolitical?' At this stage I believe all of America cannot afford to be. If we're to remain free, we have to get away from trump and hold him accountable for treason.

Then again, look at Nixon. Too many praises Ford for pardoning him. They say it saved our country. But what does that say about us and our country? That we can't take a president being found guilty and serving jail time for crimes against their oath to the office of the president of the U.S.? Imagine if Nixon had paid for his crimes? Would Reagan have been encouraged to get involved in the Iran Contra Scam? Would Clinton have risked infidelity which resulted in his getting impeached? Would George W. Bush have started an illegal war against Iraq based on lies about Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction? Would trump have risked inciting an insurrection?

You decide.

[Kevin Prettner · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a one hour book done twelve times over. Poorly written, redundant and lacking any real information

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an informative book about the time before, during and after the insurrection from the perspective of the man charged with leading the fight to save the Capitol, politicians and staff yet hampered by a lot of crazy red tape and political BS. I appreciated all of the insight as well as the sacrifice and efforts of the officers in the fight. However, the repetition of many points happening several times brought this down from a pretty solid 4-star book at first to a 3-star book. Sund's work would have benefited from having an editor help him bring more focus to the book to be more concise and less repetitive. One of the more impactful statements he made towards the end of the book would have been the perfect way to end the book with an emotional punch, yet he then continued on to reiterate the same points he had already made several times that negated that impact by leaving me frustrated he was back to the same points again... as if I hadn't read them the first 3-5 times. Again, I appreciate that he took the time to write this and provide a better understanding of what happened. I just wish someone had done a better job of editing and providing constructive criticism to increase the impact of the book. I would still recommend that others read it, as I definitely gained a better understanding of why things happened the way they did or didn't happen as one would have expected.

[Pam Parotto Seely · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I appreciated reading about the insurrection from a law enforcement viewpoint, this book was extremely bogged down and difficult to get through with excessive (and I felt unnecessary) details and way too many acronyms used over and over and over.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came away feeling Sund in this book sees the January 6 debacle caused by Trump, worsened by failed intelligence, and drawn out due to lack of military support due to bipartisan failures including Pelosi. Sund raises an eyebrow considering conspiracy theories of FBI actors at some level involved in the riot. Specifically, he mentions. Ray Epps. A year after publication of this book it was reported that Epps got a year of probation for his Capitol riot role. Fox News Channel and other right-wing media outlets amplified conspiracy theories that Epps was an undercover government agent who helped incite the Capitol attack to entrap Trump supporters. Epps filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News last year, saying the network was to blame for spreading baseless claims about him. Federal prosecutors backed up Epps’ vehement denials that he was a government plant or FBI operative. They say Epps has never been a government employee or agent beyond serving in the U.S. Marines from 1979 to 1983.

As for intelligence failures, before Sund’s book it was reported that “Capitol Police intel division assessments are a haunting reminder of the pre-January 6 mindset.” Indeed, a half-year after the book’s publication PBS reported “FBI, Homeland Security ignored ‘massive amount’ of intelligence before Jan. 6, Senate report says”. Just Security, based at the Reiss Center on Law and Security at New York University School of Law, offers a January 6th Intelligence Failure Timeline.

Sund has been out there representing for the failure that led to the tragedy he experienced and relates here. He dealt with the former House sergeant-at-arms who provided testimony to Jan. 6 panel. Paul D. Irving, the former House sergeant-at-arms who resigned the day after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, provided testimony to the select committee investigating the Capitol attack. Irving was one of four top security officials on the Capitol Police Board responsible for protecting the Capitol and has been heavily criticized for not adequately preparing for Jan. 6. There was a substantial delay in the National Guard being deployed to quell the pro-Donald Trump rioters, a problem that drew particular scrutiny on the inefficient way the board functioned in that scenario. That problem played out last year in a Senate hearing reviewing the attack when Irving and Steven Sund, the Capitol Police chief during the insurrection, gave conflicting accounts on when Sund asked Irving — and Irving’s counterpart in the Senate, Michael Stenger — for the National Guard to help during the attack. Sund testified to the Senate panel that by 1:09 p.m. on the afternoon of the riot, he notified both Irving and Stenger of the department’s need for a state of emergency declaration and National Guard troops, which was not approved by the Capitol Police Board until after 2 p.m. Irving said he did not recall getting a request for the National Guard until shortly after 2 p.m. He underscores this delay in his book and claims it was “optics” that delayed the guard. This is particularly unfortunate, "sus" and fishy when we have right there handy ("within sight", Sund says) the D.C. Air National Guard 113th Wing, “Capital Guardians” with “a proud history of protecting our nation's capital and serving our nation's leadership." This former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund testified on security failures related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

He points out that Homeland Security also took a ‘see no evil’ response: 'No major incidents of illegal activity': DHS told Pentagon as pro-Trump mob breached Capitol.

Sund further points out that danger and guns were found related to the previous years’ marches which he refers to as MAGA 1 and MAGA 2. Even RFK, Jr. feels there were no guns with the J6 mob, but that is not borne out by the evidence and Sund relates even guns found in the capitol abandoned by the insurrectionists.

[J.L. Askew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former USCP Chief Steven Sund has written the definitive account of January 6 from the viewpoint of the police officers who defended the Capitol. Sund has met all the major players in the drama played out on January 6 and his book is a mostly balanced and even-handed exposition which he says is “apolitical and . . . uncolored by any political viewpoint.” His book is sorely needed to counter the distortions propagated by the January 6 Committee and like-minded politicians.
The book begins by citing the growing divisiveness in America among citizens, politicians, government branches and institutions, media, and law enforcement. Sund presents a litany of societal ills spanning the past century. Chapter one is a lengthy introduction meant to set the stage for what follows. “On January 6 all these forces converged at the U. S. Capitol.” This statement is not only hyperbole but is an oversimplification of what happened. January 6 was more than anything about our democracy, specifically about the 2020 election.
Trump’s claim that he’d won, and the race had been “stolen” was not (as claimed by the left) a pretext for an “insurrection” but was based on fact: under cover of the “COVID emergency”, many states broke their own laws, taking measures to allow easy access to the vote through universal absentee ballots, “ballot harvesting”, ignoring statutory deadlines, and other actions that brought into question the entire process. If our election laws are not followed, how can the results be considered valid?
Sund covers the three post-election protests held by Trump supporters which he calls MAGA 1 (November 14, 202), MAGA II (December 12, 2020), and MAGA III (January 6, 2021). These were legal “first amendment” protests, common in Washington and normal routine for the local law enforcement agencies (including Sund’s US Capitol Police) responsible for overseeing such events.
MAGA 1 and MAGA II happened as expected, in accordance with the intelligence information gathered beforehand. As MAGA III approached all the information received by Chief Sund predicted January 6 would be no different. In reality the intelligence arms of the D. C. Metro Police (MPD), the F.B.I., the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), all had been receiving abundant internet traffic and social media posts “encouraging protestors to come armed” and “to storm the Capitol building”. Strangely none of this information was ever passed on to Chief Sund and he was left assuming January 6 would be no different from the two previous post-election protests.
Sund assiduously prepared for the January 6 demonstrations, having all his men on duty that day. Watching real-time video feeds of the Capitol grounds, when Sund saw the protests becoming violent, he immediately called for reinforcements and got additional manpower from the MPD and the nearby jurisdictions of Maryland and Virginia. But his calls for the National Guard went unanswered until the crisis had peaked and subsided. This is one of many January 6 mysteries Sund covers at the book’s end.
The book title “Courage Under Fire” is somewhat misleading and apparently meant to promote the book. While Sund honors the officers who died when he was chief (none from January 6 injuries) with in depth coverage of their memorial services (and rightly so), there were no instances of any protestors firing on the officers defending the Capitol. Only one person died from gunfire that day, an unarmed female protestor, Ashli Babbitt (a military veteran), who was trying to get through a broken window into the Speaker’s Lobby, killed by a chamber officer barricaded inside. Later, when criticized by politicians, “livid that we did not fire at the crowd”, Sund said “police officers do not use lethal force lightly.” But when faced with an unarmed woman coming through a window, one of Sund’s officers used lethal force and there was never a hearing or trial about his actions.
Sund’s book reads like a diary, presenting a moment-by-moment account of what he experienced during January 6 and in the aftermath of that tragic day. After the Capitol funeral service for a fallen officer, Sund standing outside watching the casket being loaded into the hearse, mused “I realized that very few people understand what police officers must face in their line of work.”
Sund’s well-researched book, despite its flaws, is the best we have about January 6 and should be read by all Americans who love their country and want to see our freedom preserved.

[Irishcoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really meant to read a less stressful book after the last one. In fact, on a friend’s recommendation, I requested Homer’s Odyssey. Going to the library just to pick up one book is challenging for me. As I walk in, there are displays of books everywhere. I found four more I wanted and one of them was Courage Under Fire by Steven A. Sund.

What happened on January 6, 2021, is forever etched in my mind, just as are other traumatic dates. It was my husband’s birthday, and we were enjoying watching TV when suddenly the show was interrupted by coverage of the insurrection at the Capitol building. We watched with growing horror all afternoon and into the evening, wondering WHERE was the National Guard and why didn’t they show up until after the traitors departed? Last August, I read Representative Jamie Raskin’s book Unthinkable and experienced what it was like for the legislators, staff, and family members inside who were protected and safely evacuated by Capitol police.

Steven A. Sund was the Capitol Police chief that day. I wanted to read his book because I still had so many questions about what happened that day and wanted the viewpoint of the man in charge. One of the first things I learned is how complicated security is within the Capitol. I would have thought that Sund would be in control of implementing all the plans and would have the authority to call in all the help he needed. But, no. In order to request the National Guard, he would have to get permission from the two sergeants at arms (one for the House, one for the Senate). And THEY have to go talk to their people (Speaker, Senate Majority Leader).

Based on reports Sund was getting from Intel across all the federal police sources, there was only a “remote” chance of violence because all six protest groups were supposed to stay in place. However, when they began advancing on the Capitol and becoming increasingly menacing and violent as they began fighting with the Capitol police guarding the outside perimeters, Sund called the sergeants at arms. The House Sergeant didn’t like “the optics” of having soldiers at the Capitol, but he’d go ask Speaker Pelosi and get back to Sund. The Senate Sergeant suggested that Sund call the Guard and see what they might have available.

The protest turned into a full scale coup attempt. No one got back to Sund about calling in the National Guard, and so he began calling other agencies with a police force: Supreme Court, FBI, Secret Service, and nearby police forces from Virginia and Maryland. Even New Jersey sent troopers to help at the Capitol, which was rapidly overrun by the insurrectionists. Sund was in a near panic, watching his police force being attacked with all kinds of weapons and noxious sprays.

At about the time Capitol police within the building began escorting legislators, staff and family members to safety, Sund finally got permission to call in the National Guard. But they didn’t come. There were some units within sight of the Capitol, directing traffic, but they were not permitted to deploy to help the struggling officers.

Why? And this was my biggest question: why wasn’t the National Guard deployed earlier?

Sund explained how the Army was giving him the runaround about deploying soldiers to the Capitol even though the general Sund spoke to could see how dangerous the insurrectionists had become. Sund does give a reason why the response was so horribly delayed, and it’ll raise the goosebumps in you as it did to me. You’ll have to read the book to find out why and other hairy details unknown at the time to us viewers.

This is the scariest part: there was a massive intel communication failure before January 6th. Over two years have gone by and not much has changed. Analysts and other intel agents haven’t been replaced; the procedures haven’t been changed. Steven Sund and the two sergeants at arms were both forced to resign before being fired. They were the sacrificial lambs and the world went on.

It could happen again. Without any changes, it will.

[Larisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Steven Sund's firsthand account of January 6th at the Capitol is devastating. He attempts to describe every detail he can include, and it is clear he has gone over that day in his mind countless times. From his description, it is clear that his officers made every effort to protect the capital building and the legislators inside. Towards the end of the book, he includes his thoughts on what went wrong and what needs to be improved and changed in the security system at the capital building. Many of these improvements, from what he can tell have not occurred in the 2 years since the incident. Simple things like improvements to the building (reinforced windows and fire suppression system) would need any increased budget and according to Sund the extra budget has become highly politicized. Sund points fingers at several people who he felt contributed directly to his inability to bring in the national guard sooner. And most of these people are still at their posts. Furthermore, he brings up issue with the structure of authority for the capital police and the lack of a single point person who can make unilateral decisions in the case of an emergency. None of this has changed since January 6th.

The one place that I feel this book falls short is in the density of the text. Sund makes every effort to elucidate the acronyms and cut through the jargon that he uses, but sometimes it is still tedious to read, even for somebody who is used to reading technical language. His intro chapter includes a "who's who" for the book and he includes several reference chapters at the end describing each person and their role as well as all of the abbreviations he uses. I wish that Sund had utilized a system of "most important points up front" for some of his sections that got bogged down with jargon and acronyms. Still, I think this book is definitely worth a read, just keep in mind you may want to skim certain sections.

[Pam Venne · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I have seen several takes on this event from both sides, I never felt I had the full scope of what happened that day. From Sund's perspective, it was more dangerous and pervasive than I thought. I saw people breaking and entering the Capitol; I heard about Ms. Babbit being shot; I saw people coming into the Capitol and the guards seeming to allow them in as they strolled about; I saw one guard even taking a selfie with one of the protestors; and I saw instigators in the crowd saying. "break into the Capitol." We did not see the police up against the barriers, fighting for their lives.

What we did not know until later was how much information was not given to the Capitol police that could have prevented the break-in and saved lives that day if the National Guard had been able to be present on the scene.

The structure of the Capitol police is strange at best. Politics is how it is structured to provide each side of Congress their say in what happens with the Speaker or Nancy Peolsi as the top dog in charge.

Steven Sund wrote more of an after-action report, taking responsibility for what he could have done better and what could be changed to prevent an event like this ever happening at the Capitol again. I commend him for taking the blame and not throwing all responsibility to others.

I sense that Mr. Sund is a well-respected officer who has gone through an extremely traumatic event, multiplied by his public firing the next day. While helping his team heal, he is also working on his healing, which will take some time. I wish him the best and commend him for all his previous work as an officer of the law, the work he did for the Capitol Police, and the book he wrote to account for his actions and those of the brave officers who chose to support him that day.

[James Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book to read, however, it is one that is hard because it deals with REAL history. It is written by the Chief of the United States Capital Police (the UNCP) leading up to and including the insurrection on Jan 6, 2021.

It details lapses in the sharing of intelligence, and the apparently that the military, in the form of the National Guard, would NOT be allowed to respond and back up even if, as was expected based on some social media source, things turned violent. The fear that Trump would use their involvement to move the country to martial law in order to maintain his position was the underlying drive behind that decision.

Fortunately Sund was able to find enough other sources in the form of law enforcement agencies, some Federal and some from other police forms from the area around DC, to fight off the insurrectionists and prevent any deaths of any of the people in Congress or their support staff.

The reader has to be aware that Chief Sund is an angry man. He was fired because he got blamed for the intelligence that he feels like was basically hidden or vastly under-emphasis to him. And one reviewer has even said he has a tendency to whine....but reading the book, while I recognized that some whining can be seen in the text, I wonder who of us would NOT find ourselves whining if we had been though what he went though on Jan 6, 2021, and after.

The sad thing is that the situation with the politication of decisions that affect these people whose job it is to protect our Congress is unlikely to have changed very much since, and if he is right, morale may be even lower now. This is really something, especially in our sharply divided nation, for all of us to be very concerned about.

[James P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Chief’s Defense

Steven Sund was a career Metropolitan D.C. Police officer and later administrator and commander. He retired, was hired as Assistant Chief of the United States Capitol Police (USCP) and advanced to Chief, the position he held on January 06, 2021. This book is his defense of his conduct leading up to and on January 06.
The problem is the defense isn’t very persuasive. Mr. Sund accurately describes the highly politicized, dysfunctional command structure of the USCP. He vividly recounts the failure of his agency and other federal agencies to interpret, share, and act upon very specific intelligence about what was planned on January 06 by the rioters. His description of January 06 is harrowing. However, he must accept full responsibility for the egregious failures of his own executive team, some of whom he appointed. Mr. Sund is highly critical of the Department of Defense response on January 06. He could have devoted more space to the seventeen other police agencies that responded on January 06. His scathing criticism of Donal Trump is spot on. He makes the case for Donald Trump’s second impeachment by simply publishing Mr. Trumps January 06 tweets. His criticism of Congressional leadership and staff is also spot on. He vividly portrays the political agenda that drove the January 06 Committee. The irony is, in exposing the malfeasance and incompetence that undermined the law enforcement response to January 06, Mr. Sund also made the case for his own dismissal. The book is certainly worth reading.