by Anne Murray, Postmaster Ft Myers/Cape Coral

Fort Myers, Cape Coral FL — The U.S. Postal Inspection Service mission is to safeguard the sanctity of the U.S. mail and in so doing, aggressively combats mail theft and fraud. The 1,900 Postal inspectors investigate postal-related crimes, such as identity theft, mail bombs, postal robberies and burglaries and workers’ compensation fraud. And it protects against the use of the mail to launder drug money, traffic in illegal drugs and exploit children.

The Postal Inspection Service specifically is empowered by Congress “to investigate postal offenses and civil matters relating to the Postal Service.” It is known among law-enforcement colleagues as the “Silent Service” because most of the investigations are conducted without publicity and fanfare. Nonetheless, the work impacts the daily lives of all Americans in positive ways.

In an average year, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducts some 4,000 forensic examinations, makes scores of court appearances to provide expert testimony and indentifies more than 1,300 violators of postal statutes.

When a thief takes something out of your mailbox or a scam artist puts something in it — postal inspectors are on the case. When a postal employee is assaulted, when a Post Office is robbed, when a criminal mails drugs or a bomb — postal inspectors immediately investigate. When a natural disaster hits — postal inspectors are on the scene, helping restore vitally needed mail service.

Whenever and wherever a crime occurs involving postal employees, customers, property or Postal Service revenues or assets, highly trained and experienced postal inspectors immediately are called in. And to the criminal elements who prey on postal customers, the arrival means their crimes against the Postal Service and society are about to end.

Mr. Zip’s Tip: In an average year, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service saves the Postal Service nearly $100 million in long-term savings through the investigation of fraudulent workers’ compensation claims.

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.