Paul D. Irving facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul D. Irving
Official portrait, 2012
36th Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives
In office January 17, 2012 – January 7, 2021
Leader	John Boehner Paul Ryan Nancy Pelosi
Preceded by	Wilson Livingood
Succeeded by	Timothy Blodgett (acting)
Personal details
Born	Paul Douglas Irving August 1957 (age 67) Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Spouse	Jean Parkinson ​ (m. 1989⁠–⁠2014)​
Education	American University (BA) Whittier College (JD)

Paul Douglas Irving (born August 1957) is an American former law enforcement officer. He served as the Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives from January 17, 2012, until January 7, 2021. This role is very important for keeping order and security in the U.S. House of Representatives. He resigned from his position because he was unable to fully carry out his duties during the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Early Life and Schooling

Paul Irving was born in Tampa, Florida, in 1957. He went to college to study justice. In 1979, he earned a bachelor's degree from American University. Later, in 1982, he earned a law degree (called a J.D.) from Whittier Law School.

Career in Law Enforcement

Paul Irving had a long career in law enforcement before working for Congress.

Working for the FBI and Secret Service

From 1980 to 1983, Irving worked as a clerk for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Los Angeles.

In 1983, he joined the United States Secret Service. The Secret Service protects the President and other important leaders. During his time there, he held several key positions. He was a supervisor in the team that protected the President. He also worked as a Deputy Assistant Director for Congressional Affairs. This meant he helped with communication between the Secret Service and Congress. He also served as an Assistant Director for Administration.

In 2003, Irving was assigned to the Executive Office of the President at the White House. This happened when the Secret Service was moving to become part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Irving retired from the Secret Service in 2008.

After the Secret Service

After leaving the Secret Service, Irving worked in other fields. He became president of his family's real estate investment company. Later, he joined Command Consulting Group, which is a company that advises on security. He worked as a senior security consultant in their Washington, D.C. office. He also managed their office in Miami, Florida.

Serving as House Sergeant at Arms

On January 17, 2012, Paul Irving was chosen to be the House Sergeant at Arms. This is a very important role in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Sergeant at Arms is responsible for security and maintaining order within the House chamber and its surrounding areas. Irving became widely known after the U.S. Capitol building was attacked on January 6, 2021.

Events of January 6, 2021

On January 6, 2021, a large crowd gathered near the U.S. Capitol building. This event led to significant security challenges.

Requests for Help Before the Attack

On January 4, two days before the attack, the Capitol Police chief, Steven Sund, asked for more help. He requested support from the District of Columbia National Guard. He made this request to Paul Irving and the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, Michael C. Stenger. However, that request for extra help was not approved at that time.

During the Capitol Breach

On January 6, around 1:00 p.m., many people pushed past security barriers at the Capitol. Some members of the crowd confronted officers. The crowd moved quickly past the outer security lines.

Representative Zoe Lofgren tried to reach the Capitol Police chief by phone. She was worried because people had reached the Capitol steps. Irving told her that the doors to the Capitol were locked. He also said that "nobody can get in."

At 1:09 p.m., Chief Sund called Irving and Stenger again. He asked them to approve an emergency declaration. This declaration was needed to call in the D.C. National Guard for help. Both Irving and Stenger told Sund they would "run it up the chain," meaning they would get approval from higher authorities. Irving called back with formal approval about an hour later.

Resignation from Office

On January 7, 2021, the day after the Capitol events, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Paul Irving would resign. Chief Sund and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Stenger also resigned from their positions.