As Letter Carrier Robberies Persist, US Postal Service, Union, and Lawmakers Collaborate on Solutions

The U.S. Postal Service launched Project Safe Delivery last year to combat increasing rates of letter carrier robberies. The crackdown resulted in hundreds of arrests and a slowdown in robberies towards the end of the year. However, the overall number of postal carriers who were robbed in 2023 increased, with a nearly doubled number of carriers getting injured as criminals targeted them for their antiquated “arrow keys” that provide access to mailboxes.

This week, legislation will be introduced in Congress to expedite the replacement of tens of thousands of mailbox keys, enhance prosecutions, and review sentencing guidelines, in response to the growing issue of robberies targeting letter carriers.

Postal carrier robberies rose to 643 last year, a 30% increase, with the number of robberies resulting in injuries doubling to 61. Over the past decade, robberies have increased sixfold, with more postal carriers being held at gunpoint, according to postal statistics.

Under Project Safe Delivery, more than 1,200 arrests have been made for mail thefts and letter carrier robberies. The effort also involved targeted law enforcement operations in high-risk areas, the installation of high-security blue boxes, and electronic locks on mail receptacles.

There is a ray of hope as postal robberies declined by 19% in the past five months, and arrests for letter carrier robberies increased by 73% in the 2024 fiscal year.

The Postal Inspection Service, along with law enforcement partners, continues to pursue criminals targeting postal employees. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy emphasized that they are committed to addressing the issue and stated, “We are not done.”

A federal judge’s lenient 30-day sentence for a criminal who assaulted a postal carrier in San Francisco sparked outrage among postal leaders and the letter carrier union. The incident highlighted the need for stricter penalties to protect postal service workers.

A bill expected to be introduced in Congress will provide funding to replace the old keys with electronic versions, designate prosecutors for postal crimes, and review sentencing guidelines for postal offenses, in an effort to safeguard letter carriers.

Postal carriers like Jeremiah Grant and Tijuana Abbott shared their harrowing experiences of being targeted by criminals while performing their duties. The traumatic incidents have left them feeling unsafe and questioning the adequacy of measures taken by postal officials to address the issue.

The legislation aims to reinforce the protection of postal service workers and ensure that criminals face severe consequences for targeting them. The goal is to restore public respect and deterrence for federal employees like postal workers.