United States Postal Inspection Service
| United States Postal Inspection Service | |
|---|---|
| Common name | Postal Inspection Service |
| Abbreviation | USPIS |
Patch of the United States Postal Inspection Service Postal police uniform division
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Logo of the United States Postal Inspection Service
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Badge of the United States Postal Inspection Service
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| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1772 (surveyors) 1802 (special agents) 1830 (agency) |
| Employees | 3,500 (approx) |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Federal agency | United States |
| General nature |
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| Specialist jurisdiction | Property, personnel, and-or postal items of a postal service. |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, D.C. |
| Postal Inspectors | 1,200 (approx) |
| Agency executive | Guy Cottrell, Chief Postal Inspector |
| Parent agency | United States Postal Service |
| Website | |
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The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. Its jurisdiction is defined as "crimes that may adversely affect or fraudulently use the U.S. Mail, the postal system or postal employees." The mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to support and protect the U.S. Postal Service, its employees, infrastructure, and customers by enforcing the laws that defend the nation’s mail system from illegal or dangerous use.
In fiscal year 2014, USPIS had 2,376 field employees, a decline of 44.7% from fiscal year 1995. (This figure excludes headquarters staff.) In 2008, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service had 2,288 full-time personnel with the authority to make arrests and carry firearms on duty. This represented a 23.1% drop over the previous five years.
The Postal Inspection Service has the oldest origins of any federal law enforcement agency in the United States. It traces its roots back to 1772 when colonial Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin first appointed a "surveyor" to regulate and audit the mails. Thus, the Service's origins—in part—predate the Declaration of Independence, and therefore the United States itself. As Franklin was Postmaster under the Continental Congress and was George Washington's first Postmaster, his system continued.
In 1801, the title of "surveyor" was changed to Special Agent. In 1830, the Special Agents were organized into the Office of Instructions and Mail Depredations. The Postal Inspection Service was the first federal law enforcement agency to use the title Special Agent for its officers. Congress changed this title to Inspector in 1880.
For some time, one of their primary duties was the enforcement of .
As fact-finding and investigative agents, Postal Inspectors are sworn federal law enforcement officers who carry firearms, make arrests and serve federal search warrants and subpoenas. Inspectors work closely with U.S. Attorneys, other law enforcement agencies, and local prosecutors to investigate postal cases and prepare them for court. For example, on all international mail Postal Inspectors work closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while on domestic mail Postal Inspectors work closely with state and local law enforcement agencies. There are approximately 1,200 Postal Inspectors stationed throughout the United States and abroad who enforce more than 200 federal laws covering investigations of crimes that adversely affect or fraudulently use the U.S. Mail and postal system.
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Wikipedia