months due to covid. meanwhile, security threats at the capital skyrocketed from about 900 in 2016 to more than 9,000 by the end of 2021. that s why the department is now planning to hire private security contractors. we ve identified posts where we believe we don t need sworn capitol police officers, typically secondary posts, posts that whether they are in a garage or something like that, where people have already been checked before they ve gotten to that point. that is drawn criticism from the chair of the police union, who writes the last thing we need our private security contractors who are not trained to our standards. it s a recipe for disaster. the union also raising red flags about the fact that capitol police has only implement at about a quarter of the more than 100 recommendations the inspector general made to keep the ground safe.
the threat from domestic terrorism is a greater threat to the homeland than the threat that international terrorism poses. this is something that still persists, is a deep concern at the highest levels at the department of homeland security and at the fbi. they re really worried and focused on the extent to which this type of politically motivated violence still poses a threat. another key piece of this equation about security and violence is the fact that the u.s. capitol police have seen really frightening levels of attrition in the year after january 6th. the head of the capitol police department says that they are about 200 officers short of what they need. they re considering right now bringing in private security contractors to help to secure the capitol campus, because they haven t been able to retain the officers they need to keep the capitol building secure. that s something that s so disturbing, because capitol police already failed on january 6th to fully secure that
stopped shelling and bombing ou cities and attempting to kill people and they say it civilian and military alike. it doesn t look like russia is willing to stop any of that activity, so can we go back int those talks they were hoping to resume? i think it s essential that diplomacy continue, but meanwhile there are options. i agree with the wall street journal. i think we have to explore whether it is sending security contractors to help protect zelenskyy. whether it is having drones, whether it s having other supplies, intelligence, just logistical support, it is so essential right now, the ukrainians do not have days or weeks to wait for the sanctions to take full effect. and we talked about this las hour. we talked about this with lucas to the idea that ukraine back i 1994 gave up its nukes with the
Security contractors in Latin America who aided missions in Afghanistan and Iraq ramp up protests demanding greater recognition from the US government for their service.
some 500 capitol police officers short of what they should be and the question is if something like this were to happen again, how do you fill that gap? they have a quick reaction force now. they have better intelligence. that s something that is key. but as you say they are about 450 members short in the police force there and he said at the senate hearing yesterday that it would take 2 to 3 years to get up to speed. training has been slowed down due to the pandemic and why one recommendation, something he has talked about is bringing in security contractors on a temporary basis. the u.s. capitol police union fought back against it. we don t know if it will happen. overall the capitol does seem to have a better battle plan in place. but the one thing that is the intangible here, this is still a department that is reeling psychologically, physically, those wounds are deep on capitol hill. we saw even last april this had