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As surprising as it might seem, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is older than the United States and the oldest law enforcement agency in the country. When Benjamin Franklin was the colonial Postmaster General, he appointed a "surveyor" in 1772 for the purpose of mail regulation and auditing. The position's title was changed to "Special Agent" in 1801. It was the first agency to use that title.
In 1830, the agency was organized into the Office of Instructions and Mail Depredations. In 1880, the officers' title was changed by Congress to Inspector. Originally, the USPIS was in charge of all auditing, waste, abuse and fraud investigations. It is now more of an investigative agency with many of the other duties it once performed being given over to another agency that was formed for that purpose.
Fraud is still a big part of the USPIS' responsibility, along with several other crimes involving the U.S. Postal System. The most important duties of the pain-clothed officers of the 'Silent Service', as it is sometimes called, is to protect the employees and customers of the Postal Service from crimes and misuse of the Post Office.
Below are some particulars of the investigations that are in the jurisdiction of the USPIS.
Fraud: When a person or company uses the U.S. Postal Service in an attempt to commit fraud against consumers, businesses or even the government, the USPIS is called in to investigate. Any fraud that uses the mail system in anyway becomes a case for investigation and prosecution for the USPIS. This can include bank fraud, credit card fraud, identity theft and internet fraud.
External Crime and Violent Crime: This involves the investigation of mail theft and theft of U.S. Postal property by people who are not postal employees. This would include robbery and burglary against the U.S. Post Office. Murder and assault of postal employees comes under this heading, too.
Prohibited Mailings: This includes a variety of things such as child pornography, other prohibited sexual material, and narcotics. Hazardous materials such as chemical, nuclear and biological weapons and mail bombs are also investigated as prohibited mailings. Since 9/11, the USPIS has investigated many such crimes. The laundering of proceeds from narcotics and other contraband through the use of Postal money orders is often investigated under this heading as well.
Aviation and Homeland Security: This heading covers providing security for the transportation of mail, insuring that it is protected from robbery, theft and natural or man-made disasters.
Revenue Investigations: These investigations involve the use of fraud by businesses and consumers in attempting to send mail with counterfeit or fraudulent postage.
The USPIS is also involved in international investigations and security with offices around the world. There are also four fully scientifically and technically staffed forensic crime labs. There are uniformed and plain-clothes officers protecting the mails. From such humble beginnings, the oldest law enforcement become a very large organization that helps to ensure as much as possible that not only the mail but the citizens of the United States are protected.
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