Capitol Police officer says it ‘physically hurts’ to talk about Jan. 6
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards said in a new op-ed that it “physically hurts” to talk about the Capitol riot, adding that the House Jan. 6 select committee issuing its report this week represents “nothing final.”
Edwards, who was injured in the attack last year and testified publicly this summer before the House panel, said in The New York Times that it could take years for her and other officers to find peace after being traumatized during the rioting.
“Many Americans think that the saga of the Capitol riot will soon be at its end,” Edwards said in the op-ed.
“For two years, this country has endured an impeachment, lawsuits, criminal investigations, congressional hearings, televised theater,” she continued. “And this week, Congress will release its final report. But there is nothing final about this moment. A funeral doesn’t put an end to your grief. The trauma cannot be bookended by paperwork. These scars cannot be masked with fine print, debated in committee.”
The committee is slated to hold a hearing on Monday, when lawmakers are expected to vote on criminal referrals for former President Trump and others.
On Wednesday, the committee is set to release its report, which will be comprised of eight chapters outlining the findings of the panel’s months-long investigation.
Edwards in the op-ed recounted her experience testifying before the House panel, indicating she started shaking and sweating minutes before her appearance as she heard the committee play videos of the riot.
“Even now, I can barely talk about it,” Edwards said. “In fact, very few Capitol Police officers can. Sometimes we hold it to our chests, letting it weigh us down. Sometimes we forget for one moment that it happened, and we feel like ourselves again. Until someone brings it up. And then it physically hurts to talk about it.”
Multiple police officers died in the days following the attack. One who was attacked with chemical spray died the next day. Others died by suicide later that month.
“The trauma kicked off by the Capitol riot is still with us,” Edwards added. “Only by talking to one another and seeking out help and support from our fellow officers will we find peace — and that could take years. But I sincerely hope that any law enforcement officer knows that in a crisis, my phone is always on. You are never alone as long as you know me.”
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