PUSHING THE ENVELOPE BLOG

What would you do if someone asked you to steal something from the mail for a quick buck? Most Postal Service employees wouldn’t dream of it. But once in a while, someone is tempted. Then, they find out the hard way that colluding wasn’t worth the risk to their finances or their freedom.

Another national election has arrived, and Election and Political Mail is already moving through the postal system. What is the difference between Election Mail and Political Mail? Election Mail is any item mailed to or from authorized election officials that enables citizens to participate in the voting process. This includes ballots, voter registration cards, and absentee applications.

We’ve just released our new five-year strategic plan, covering fiscal years 2025 to 2029. Why do we do it? There are two reasons. First, each strategic plan offers us the opportunity to reexamine our mission, vision, and values and determine the strategic goals that will guide our operations over the next five years. The second, is that we are legally required to provide a new five-year plan at least every three years.

The OIG issues audit reports almost every week. Often, we prioritize areas where we believe a review is needed, and sometimes we report important service, operational, or other issues that attract attention from stakeholders and even the media.

Almost all postal employees are honest, hard-working individuals. However, there are a few bad apples, and the role our Office of Investigations has in protecting the mail and the American public has never been more important. This is especially true as mail theft rises and criminals increasingly target the Postal Service’s vast network and its employees to further their schemes.