Courage Under Fire: The Definitive Account from Inside the Capitol on January 6th

Hour by hour documentation on the J6 day with all the flaws and partisan moves by the Democrats

A non political review of the build up and day of January 6 from a well respected professional and Chief of the Capital Police. He awas set up to be the one to take the punishment for the deliberate cover up of intelligence. A great study and scenario for anyone in Risk Management.

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. Mr. Sund appropriately recounts the heroism of the USCP and Metro D.C. police who bore the brunt of defending the Capitol.He could have devoted more space to describing the amazing response of 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. Finally, be sure to note Mr. Sund’s description of D.C. Mayor Bowser’s disgraceful stand down, don’t help orders to the Metro Police during the May 29, 2020 attacks on the White House by a different mob of totally out of control rioters. The Secret Service Uniformed Division and U.S. Park Police were left to fend for themselves while D.C. police were forbidden to assist.

Tells people what REALLY happened on Jan. 06

This is one of the best, if not the best, books on political subjects in recent decades. The book's is factual, detailed with a precision down to minutes, yet fast paced and intense. In addition to learn what really happened on Jan. 6, the author's impartial and highly professional insights provide reader with a wide range of perspectives, knowledge on policing, about USCP, and the complexity of USCP's political surroundings.What resulted this book utterly impressive, in my opinion, is the author's unique vision, extraordinary ability as the chief commander, and his extraordinary character, demonstrated and tested throughout critical times. Unfortunately, chief Sund became a scapegoat of some partisan politicians. Yet, by forcing chief Sund out of USCP, the real loss is the US Capitol itself, for those politicians are no longer served by the best among the best.The irony is, any other nation on the planet will snatch Mr. Sund to run their highest police force, if feasible.I bought FOUR copies of this book, also to send them to my beloved ones. This is such a rare historic document to preserve, among other things.

The January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol will occupy a place in this nation’s history. Courage Under Fire provides an essential record of events before, during and immediately after the attack. The book is authored by the former Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund, who was at the center of the crises on that day.Chief Sund is a career law enforcement officer with impeccable qualifications for the position of chief of the Capitol Police. He served a distinguished 25 year career with the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, and three years with the Capitol Police where he was leading the department forward. He also earned two masters degrees, from Johns Hopkins University and from the Naval Postgraduate school. Not only was Chief Sund incredibly well qualified to lead the Capitol Police, he was also proved masterful in describing the events of January 6, through his own uniquely personal experience.Our nation’s leaders, both in the executive and legislative branch, should read this book. It is clear that the extreme violence and breach of the capitol could have been prevented on that terrible day. The lessons learned here, if heeded, can prevent this tragedy from happening again. Law enforcement executives need to be reminded that the pure collection of intelligence is futile if it isn’t appropriately shared with law enforcement partners at the correct levels within those agencies; and, preparations are not made to prevent and respond to the worst case scenarios. Credit to Chief Sund for making this abundantly clear.Thankfully, for the reader, the author provided an appendix of “initialisms” - acronyms used throughout the text, mostly describing the various units within the Capitol Police structure. Beyond that, the book is interesting, fast moving and shocking to say the least. Understandably, Chief Sund alone can never explain all that demands explanation from this national tragedy. Courage Under Fire is exceptionally informative and a most worthwhile read.

Although the author says that he in not political, it is easy to see the bias.It is also repetitive. I am not sure what editor would approve 80-100 page chapters.After watching night after night of the torching of neighborhoods in many cities by radicals during the Summer of 2020 referred to as “mainly peaceful”, the January 6th eight hour protest show that only the elected elite are worthy of protection.The book refers to Ashli Bobbit as a member of the mob was killed because she didn’t stop. For months, the police stood by and watched radicals destroy cities and didn’t shoot any of the protestors.

I thought it would be good to read a first hand account of what happened on the day. That part of the book that reports on the terrible situation that the police were put under due to poor political leadership is gripping and carries you along without trouble.Getting to that part of the book I found it to be heavy and hard going.Once the battle was over the book moves back into the aftermath of reports and administration and sadly I gave up reading it.

HE LIES SAYING 5 OFFICES KILLED BY RIOTERS. HE COVERSUP THE BABIT KILLING. HE HATES TRUMP AND REPUBLICANS. THE BOOK IS JUST A CYA BOOK TO COVER FOR HIM AND THE CAPITAL COPS. IT IS ALL ABOUT AN ILLEGAL ELECTION AND A FEW PATRIOTS WHO TRIED TO STANDUP AGAINST THE CORRUPTION OF THE DEMOCRATS. COMPARIE THIS TO THE BLM AND ANTIFA RIOTS AND THE DESTUCTION THEY CAUSED