Duckworth Joins Durbin, Collins to Introduce Legislation to Address Uptick in Attacks on Letter Carriers on the Job
The Postal Police Reform Act would ensure that Postal Police Officers may be assigned to duty outside of Postal Service real property to further protect letter carriers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) today in introducing bipartisan legislation to address the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers, who are often targeted for their arrow keys. The Postal Police Reform Act would ensure that Postal Police Officers may be assigned to duty outside of Postal Service real property to offer protection to letter carriers on their routes.
Specifically, the Postal Police Reform Act of 2023 would clarify provisions in federal law to ensure that Postal Police Officers may be assigned to duty outside of Postal Service real property, for the purpose of protecting the mail, Postal Service property, persons on Postal Service property, and on-duty Postal Service employees. This clarification will allow the Postal Service to assign Postal Police Officers to protect letter carriers against robberies, which are often committed to steal “arrow” master keys for use in later mail theft. The Postal Police Reform Act provides the Postal Service with the flexibility to use the Postal Police as the service needs, without imposing additional costs on the Postal Service.
“The rise in violence and crime against letter carriers across the country is deeply troubling,” Duckworth said. “Our hardworking mail carriers deserve to feel safe and protected as they carry out vital delivery services trusted by Veterans, small businesses and all Americans to connect them with families, communities and services throughout the nation. I’m proud to join Senator Durbin in introducing today’s Postal Police Reform Act to help ensure Postal Police officers can protect our letter carriers along their routes.”
“Letter carriers perform an essential service of our government, but delivering mail has become an increasingly dangerous job. It’s shameful that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continues to turn a blind eye to the rampant and violent crimes against his employees,” said Durbin. “I’m introducing bipartisan legislation today to counter Postmaster General DeJoy’s dangerous 2020 directive that restricted Postal Police Officers to physical USPS properties. Letter carriers deserve to feel safe while on the job, and the Postal Police Reform Act will ensure that Postal Police Officers can adequately protect letter carriers from the real threats on their routes.”
“Our nation has seen an unacceptable increase in postal crime, and due to current restrictions, Postal Police Officers are unable to carry out important public safety duties,” said Collins. “By allowing Postal Police Officers to work beyond Postal Service property, this bipartisan legislation recognizes the urgent need to protect our mail carriers and better secure our entire postal system.”
Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Collins, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Angus King (I-ME).
The Postal Police Reform Act has earned endorsements from the National Association of Postal Supervisors and the Postal Police Officers Association.
The Postal Inspection Service reports that armed robberies of letter carriers increased sharply between 2018 and 2021, rising from 36 incidents to 154 incidents. The arrow keys can command thousands of dollars on the clandestine market because they allow access to cluster mailboxes and their contents, which include Social Security checks, prescriptions and other valuable items.
In 2020, under the leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) issued a directive that restricted Postal Police Officers to physical USPS properties. This directive has prevented Postal Police Officers from protecting the postal service and the integrity of the postal system outside physical postal properties. Prior to the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, which granted greater authority to USPS to control Postal Law enforcement, Congress regularly granted Postal Police Officers authority to carry out their duties both on and off USPS property through annual appropriations language. The Postal Police Reform Act of 2023 would counteract Postmaster General DeJoy’s 2020 directive and again allow Postal Police Officers to operate outside of Postal Service real property.
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