2001 Annual Report of Investigations of the United States Postal Inspection Service
Our Mission: Safety, Security, Integrity

A Message from the Chief Postal Inspector
November 2001

This 2001 Annual Report of Investigations of the United States Postal Inspection Service comes at the end of a year like no other in our history. During this time of tragedy following the terrorist attacks on our nation, I am proud to report that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, one of the oldest federal law enforcement agencies in the country, has served America and all Americans with great honor and courage.

During and after the attacks on September 11, 2001, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service stood tall, protecting postal employees and assets and assisting in restoring U.S. Postal Service operations swiftly and efficiently. We joined other law enforcement agencies in the investigation of these terrorist acts. We responded to every disaster site-and continue to respond-with the best our service has to offer: the unflagging dedication of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, charged with safeguarding "the sanctity of the seal."

In my testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation and Federal Services on September 20, 2001, reproduced in part in this annual report, I spoke at length on the many acts, large and small, performed by the employees of the Postal Inspection Service since this tragedy occurred. I've never been prouder of how our employees handled themselves and answered the call to duty as they have during this crisis in America. I urge you to read this testimony, which I believe will reaffirm what I have always held to be true: the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and all employees of the U.S. Postal Service, represent the best of what America is today.

While we continue our work in responding to this tragedy, we have sustained our efforts in other important areas. Postal Inspectors this year arrested 11,873 criminal suspects, with 54 percent of the arrests for mail theft. Postal Inspectors additionally investigated 3,475 mail fraud cases in FY 2001 and responded to approximately 66,000 consumer fraud complaints. Mail fraud investigations resulted in 1,691 arrests, approximately $1.2 billion in court-ordered and voluntary restitution and 642 civil or administrative actions. In addition to numerous cases involving bombs, threats and injurious items in the mail, Inspectors arrested 335 suspects for child sexual exploitation offenses related to the mail and 1,662 suspects for drug trafficking and money laundering via the mail.

Protecting the U.S. Postal Service's revenue and assets is integral to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Through their investigations of workers' compensation fraud this fiscal year, Postal Inspectors reported $99.2 million in long-term and continuation-of-pay cost-avoidance savings for the Postal Service.

I proudly submit this account of our 2001 activities to the Postmaster General, the Postal Service Board of Governors and postal managers and employees across the country. Let all of America know that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service continues to serve this country with dedication and honor, preserving the safety, security and integrity of the U.S. Postal Service, postal employees, postal assets and the U.S. Mail.

Kenneth C. Weaver