Postal inspectors are federal law enforcement officers employed by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the primary investigative arm of the U.S. Postal Service.

Role and Responsibilities

They protect the postal system, employees, infrastructure, and customers by enforcing over 200 federal laws related to mail crimes. Their duties include investigating mail fraud, theft, identity theft, child exploitation, narcotics trafficking, robberies of postal facilities, and prohibited items like bombs or hazardous materials.

Powers and Operations

Postal inspectors carry firearms, execute search warrants, make arrests, serve subpoenas, and testify in court while collaborating with agencies like U.S. Attorneys, Customs and Border Protection, and local police. As the oldest continuously operating federal law enforcement agency, USPIS handles both domestic and international cases, including global mail security through the Universal Postal Union.

Key Investigation Areas

• Mail and revenue fraud, including counterfeit postage.
• Dangerous mails, cybercrimes, and assaults on postal workers.

• Child exploitation and organized crime with a postal nexus.