Danger in the Mail: An Increasing Threat to Police Departments

Every day, police officers respond to calls related to suspicious mail or packages that may or may not contain dangerous substances. The range of potentially dangerous substances is broad including drug soaked papers, powders or liquids, weapons, or other items. These calls put police officers at risk of harm, not only in the field, but in the station when they handle evidence. Add to that the threat of postal terrorism, with potentially dangerous packages coming right into the station mailroom, and it’s clear that mail can present a very real and present danger to police and corrections officers.