Not when you get into legal definitions and the structure of government. The police have a job to do, protect, police, do the best they can. But who is responsible, legally, as defined by law. By appointments, the elected officials that oversee the police.
The Capitol Police, are responsible for one thing, to police and protect. Legally that is different then being responsible for the security of congress which entails much more than policing.
The Capitol Police are not responsible to write the laws, that provide the security of the Capitol bld and grounds.
A subtle difference? We witnessed the Capitol Police being unable to protect the entire Capitol. It is obvious to me, someone else failed in there responsibility.
Congress is responsible to write laws that provides security, creates a force, that polices. Security of the Legislative branch of our government is so much more than just the Capitol Police Chief.
If the police are responsible, then the board they report to are responsible, and the committees the board report to are responsible, and if the board is responsible, then who they report to is responsible, that makes the president of the United States responsible, the Speaker of the House responsible, the Senate president responsible.
Congress is responsible, they write the laws, they appropriate the money. Money, who writes the check is responsible. The laws that authorize alarms that secure the capitol building. Laws that create intelligence committees that warn of danger.
Legally, in lawyer speak, police are responsible to police.
How come people here don't point out that the Capitol Police Board reports to the President of the USA?