Capitol Police Officer Reflects on Jan. 6 Riots in New Book: ‘I Never Want to Forget’ (Exclusive)

When Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn thinks back to January 6, 2021, he sees a horrifying picture. “I have vivid images in my mind of certain officers involved in the battle and the expressions on their faces,” he tells PEOPLE. “We’ve all seen the images captured by the media, but in real time, it’s hard to get those images out of your head.” One of the ways Dunn has managed to deal with the aftermath of the Capitol riots is by sharing his stories. His new book, Standing still, out October 24th from Hachette Books, was his chance to tell his experiences as only he can. “Every person who was there that day has a story,” Dunn says. “And how to achieve that? You write a book.”

‘Standing My Ground’ by Harry Dunn.

Courtesy of Hachette Books

Dunn, who grew up in Clinton, MD, had no intention of becoming a police officer. He studied public health at James Madison University and originally considered a career as a professional athlete. While working at a rental car company, Dunn met a Capitol Police officer who encouraged him to apply for law enforcement. “Now it’s a duty, and at first it was a calling,” says Dunn. “Now it’s my duty and I can’t leave. My country depends on me. I have to do this now.” On Jan. 6, Dunn reported to work, initially unfazed by the large crowd, until they began swarming the Capitol after President Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally. In the hours that followed, Dunn would be caught in the midst of a riot. He would be pepper-sprayed and berated by rioters. He would share an emotional phone call with his daughter, assuring her that all was well in this chaos.

Capitol Police Officer Shares Emotional Call With Daughter During Jan. 6 Riot (Exclusive Excerpt)

“That day was an eye-opener to the fragility of democracy in this country,” says Dunn.

Harry Dunn testifies before a select committee of the House of Representatives during the investigation on January 6.

Oliver Contreras-Pool/Gett

Dunn writes about the aftermath of the rebellion and how he dealt with it publicly and privately. He recounted racist remarks directed at him and other black officers by pro-Trump mobs during a Jan. 6 House hearing. In 2023, President Joe Biden awarded him the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian award. Dunn also describes her experience in therapy, although she admits to having doubts about the healing process. “I’m afraid of healing,” Dunn says. “It’s scary because anger is what drives my passion to want to do more. And I feel like if I’m healed, I’m over it. And I never want to forget. I never want to get to a place where I’m satisfied with the outcome of January 6.” As for what he’d like to see done after the uprising, Dunn says he wants people to “be motivated” and to use tactics like mass movements for change if the results aren’t in their favor. “Get more people to come see things your way. Explain to people why you think they should agree with you,” he says.

Mike Pence slams Donald Trump for ‘reckless’ rhetoric on Jan. 6 that ‘endangered me and my family’

Harry Dunn.

Leigh Vogel

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Dunn says he was inspired by the words of the late congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis, who said that a man must be in “good trouble” and “speak out [and] stand up when something is wrong.” There are also many ideas for sharing your message. Dunn wants to start a podcast as well as a nonprofit focused on men’s mental health, because “we need to take better care of ourselves,” he says. Another interest of his is collecting lapels with unusual sayings. One is the logo for the Bath and Body Works store, which instead reads, “Back pain and body pain.” Another says, “This is a sign,” painted on top of an actual sign. There is another pin that Dunn keeps prominently displayed on her bag, which she carries with her to work every day. “It says, ‘it’s okay not to be okay,’ ” says Dunn. “I’d like to give credit if I could ever find out who did it, but I filed it under ‘Harryisms’ … things I like to hear.”Standing still will be released on October 24.

The writer’s mother, Julie Tagen, also experienced the rebellion and worked with Officer Dunn on Capitol Hill.

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