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US Capitol Police To Open Florida Field Office To Investigate Threats To Members Of Congress

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - Six months after supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Capitol Police will open a field office in Tampa to investigate threats to members of Congress.

In a news release, Tuesday titled, "After the Attack: The Future of the U.S. Capitol Police," the agency detailed changes since Jan. 6, including boosting recruiting, training, and equipment for officers.

The agency is also in the process of opening its first field offices.

"The new USCP field offices will be in the Tampa and San Francisco areas. At this time, Florida and California are where the majority of our potential threats are," the agency said in an email Tuesday to The News Service of Florida.

The agency said launching field offices on the country's East Coast and West Coast will benefit investigations seeking to weed out potential threats.

"A regional approach to investigating and prosecuting threats against members is important, so we will be working closely with the U.S. Attorney's Offices in those locations. More field offices will be opening in the future," the email said.

More than 500 defendants face charges in the U.S. Capitol breach in January, the agency said Tuesday.

(©2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.)

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