Capitol Police Union Blasts Leadership for Riot Response, Says It Cost Lives

Capitol Police officers are furious with their Police Chief for apologizing to lawmakers for the Capitol riots ... while still failing to talk to them about what went down January 6, and what to do if something similar happens again.

Sources within the Capitol Police tell TMZ ... neither acting Police Chief Yogananda Pittman, nor any of the other USCP higher-ups have directly addressed the officers who were on duty during the insurrection to say sorry to them for the lack of preparedness.

Even worse, we're told upper management has not clearly communicated to the officers what's being done -- or should be done -- to thwart another coup attempt at the Capitol.

According to our sources, cops want to hear from their leaders, "This is what went wrong, and this is what we need you to do next time" ... but so far, nothing.

Instead, Chief Pittman issued an apology to Congress on Tuesday, admitting that her department was not well enough prepared for the terrorist attack. She added they knew armed militia groups and white supremacists would be protesting, and there was a strong potential for violence and that Congress was the target.

We're told the feeling among the police officers is ... USCP management cares more about the image of the agency and getting the media off its back than taking care of its force, and Pittman's apology lends more proof.

Our sources say there's also not much internal support for Pittman as police chief, especially because she was the head of intelligence during the Jan. 6 riots ... and cops involved that day feel she let them down.

We broke the story ... Capitol Police officers were also incensed by the lack of direction before President Biden's inauguration, and a lack of clarity in the use of deadly force.