Former Phoenix chief will helm Capitol Police

The next chief of the U.S. Capitol Police will be Michael Sullivan, a former interim chief of the Phoenix Police Department, the department announced Wednesday.

Before serving in Phoenix, Sullivan had stints at the Baltimore Police Department as deputy commissioner of compliance and deputy commissioner of operations, according to his Linkedin profile. He was also a deputy chief at the Louisville Metro Police Department, where he spent more than two decades as an officer.

Sullivan prevailed over another finalist, former Secret Service Director Randolph “Tex” Alles, according to three people granted anonymity to describe the private selection process. Sullivan will be sworn in June 30.

When he took the interim chief job in Phoenix, the department was under a Justice Department "pattern or practice" investigation, an independent probe conducted by civil rights attorneys into potential systemic misconduct. After a 34-month inquiry, a June 2024 report found the department had a pattern of “depriv[ing] people of their rights under the Constitution and federal law” as well as “pervasive failings” in policies, training, supervision and accountability systems “that have disguised and perpetuated these violations for years.”

"The Board is confident in Chief Sullivan’s experience, leadership, and approach in protecting the Congress as an institution to ensure the legislative process is unimpeded," the department said in a statement. "The Congressional Community is fortunate to have a seasoned professional who will lead with integrity, ensure accountability, and draw on his experience in providing a safe and secure environment for Members of Congress, staff, and visitors."

It's the second time in four years that department overseers have decided to go outside the department for a chief. The board passed over Sean Gallagher, the interim head of the department and assistant chief, who has been with the department for more than two decades and served in a wide variety of roles across the agency. He was part of the leadership team during the Jan. 6 insurrection, weathered a no-confidence vote by the union and eventually worked to help stabilize the agency after a time of tectonic tumult.

The union signaled it was opposed to Gallagher’s selection as interim chief, with union chair Gus Papathanasiou saying in a Tuesday statement: “We’re astounded the Board would even consider [Gallagher] for the role. The Capitol Police force cannot continue to see problem officers ‘fail upwards’, winning promotions instead of demotions commensurate with their actions.”

The Capitol Police Board is composed of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jennifer Hemingway, House Sergeant-at-Arms William McFarland and Architect of the Capitol Thomas Austin. They are tasked with replacing former chief Thomas Manger, who retired last month after four years at the helm.

The board’s potential choice of another outside candidate, instead of promoting internally within the Capitol Police ranks, signals residual doubts about those who were in leadership roles for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

“They’re going to have to learn about our mission, the uniqueness of it, but the structure of oversight as well, and there is a learning curve there,” Manger said in a recent interview, talking about anyone who comes to lead Capitol Police from an outside law enforcement agency.

Others who had been in the mix included external and internal candidates from the force, including former Deputy Chief JJ Pickett, Deputy Chief Tom Loyd, and Assistant Chief Jason Bell.