02.15.23

Durbin Meets With National Association Of Letter Carriers As Postal Workers Face Uptick In Armed Robberies

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Brian Renfroe, President of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), to discuss the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers.  During their conversation, Durbin and Renfroe spoke about ways to improve safety protocols for letter carriers.

“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 and USPS leadership continues to turn a blind eye to the rampant crimes against their employees,” said Durbin.  “I spoke with Brian Renfroe, President of the National Association of Letter Carriers, today to explore ways to improve route safety and to finally catch the attention of postal leadership, whose responsibility it is to implement safety protocols to protect letter carriers.” 

Photos of the meeting are available here.

In 2021, there were 154 armed robberies against letter carriers, up from the 36 armed robberies in 2018.  When the United States Postal Service (USPS) faced a similar rise in attacks on postal workers in 2011, Durbin urged then-Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to develop a rapid alert system to notify letter carriers if a crime had been committed near their routes and provide instructions on preventing a robbery.  However, USPS discontinued the alert system in 2021 despite increased threats. 

In July 2022, Durbin wrote to USPS demanding an answer as to why the alert system was abandoned as letter carriers are held at gunpoint for their arrow keys.  Durbin followed up on his letter in October, urging the USPS Board of Governors to address carrier safety.  Despite Durbin’s urgency, USPS leadership has only offered lackluster responses as crimes against letter carriers continue.

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