'Unacceptable, appalling and out of control': Letter carriers call for eyes on increased attacks
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The National Association of Letter Carriers held a rally near the state Capitol this week to bring attention to a growing problem.
Members say that while attacks on letter carriers were previously unheard of, they’ve been picking up in frequency since the pandemic.
Eric Gregorovic is the vice president of their largest state branch in Arizona.
“One is too many,” said Gregorovic. “Ten plus in the greater Phoenix area over the past year or so, is previously unthinkable. We have got to get ahead of this and squash it now. We need to ensure that people perpetuating these crimes are not only caught, but prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
A spokesperson with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said attacks in Phoenix are rare compared to other cities, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix has been supportive.
NALC President Brian Renfroe said that with changing patterns in crime that started during the pandemic, letter carriers across the country have been experiencing “targeted armed robberies, assaults, shootings and, yes, even murder.”
He called the violence unacceptable, appalling and out of control.
“Since 2020, there have been more than 2000 violent crimes committed against letter carriers nationwide,” said Renfroe.
The association is calling for federal prosecutors to prioritize those cases.
“Of those crimes, only 14% have resulted in an arrest and a prosecution,” Renfroe said.
While he said he can’t speak to how the number of attacks on letter carriers compare to any possible incidents involving private delivery services like Amazon, Renfroe noted that while robberies where people target packages do happen, “most of them are targeting mail–letters. And those private delivery companies deliver very, very few of those.”
Renfroe said they’re working with the U.S. Postal Service and Postal Inspection Service on ways to keep carriers safe.
“It has, in a positive way, in my opinion, focused more on protecting postal employees,” he said. “As opposed to an inanimate blue box that has mail in it. That said, the missing piece is prevention and protection. Stopping these crimes from happening before they happen.”
According to Renfroe, the NALC plans to propose bipartisan legislation to Congress within the next few months.
They’re also asking the public to keep an eye out and call for help immediately if they witness something suspicious, or a postal worker being attacked.
“Altogether, we need everyone to keep their eyes open and look out for us,” said Gregorvic. “We’re simply asking you to look out for us the way we have always looked out for you.”
