Senators Collins, Durbin Introduce Legislation to Address Uptick in Attacks on Mail Carriers
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation to address the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers, who are often targeted for their arrow keys, which are used by USPS employees to access collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, cluster box units, and apartment mailbox panels. The Postal Police Reform Act would allow Postal Police Officers to be assigned to duty outside of Postal Service real property to offer protection to letter carriers on their routes. Senator King (I-ME) is a cosponsor of the legislation.
“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 Senator 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.”
“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 Senator 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.”
“From life-sustaining medications and important financial documents, to postcards and letters from loved ones, the United States Postal Service’s timely, reliable delivery of mail to Maine households is an absolutely essential service for our state,” said Senator King. “The Postal Police Reform Act would ensure that our postal carriers have the safety and security to carry out the duties of their job without having to worry about violence or robberies. It’s an absolute shame that legislation like this is even needed, but I will continue to support our letter carriers as they continue their hard work to meet the delivery expectations of Americans across the country.”
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.
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 of 2023 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 Postal Police Reform Act has earned endorsements from the National Association of Postal Supervisors and the Postal Police Officers Association.
In addition to Senators Collins and Durbin – the lead cosponsors – and Senator King, the Postal Police Reform Act is cosponsored by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).
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