CINCINNATI — The National Letter Carrier Union rallied Wednesday at Fountain Square for more protection during what they call a period of increased targeted violence against postal workers across the U.S.
Ted Thompson, Branch 43 President, said 17 of their members have been robbed or assaulted since January 2022.
One worker who spoke at the rally, Taylor Whitt, said she has been the target of violence twice in the year and a half she's worked in the mid-city district around McMicken and Clifton avenues.
First, she said she was assaulted while trying to intervene in a domestic incident while delivering mail.
"I thought, 'This will never happen again,'" she said.
Then, nine months later, Whitt said she was robbed at gunpoint.
"I now have PTSD," she said. "And I thought that was something only reserved for veterans ... people who aren't me. I didn't think it would ever be me."
Whitt said she's one of three people in her district who've been targeted for violence.
#NOW: 17 postal workers have been attacked or robbed since the beginning of 2022, and now The National Association of Letter Carriers says enough is enough.
— Sean DeLancey (@SeanDeLanceyTV) August 30, 2023
They’re calling for increased protections across the board at Fountain Square right now.@WCPO pic.twitter.com/qIEGvHQHeA
The U.S. Postal Service acknowledged thieves were targeting workers for their keys, which would give criminals access to mailboxes that contain personal information for people that could be sold online.
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Thompson said the rise in violence has been unacceptable.
"The emotion that comes about is outrage," he said.
Thompson joined Cincinnati officials and Congressman Greg Landsman in calling for federal prosecutors to aggressively pursue people who target postal officials and called for increased efforts to modernize the security system to eliminate the use of physical keys that can be stolen.
One key to safety, he said, was for people to look out for their local postal worker as they walk their route.
"Right now it's summertime," he said. "If you see somebody walking around in long sleeves with a ski mask, that's not normal. Maybe say something."
Whitt said support from her customers along her route has been what's kept her coming back to work.
"They aren't strangers to me anymore," said Whitt. "They're family. They're friends. They're community. And that means so much to me."
