The Office of the Inspector General in the United States Postal Service is an independent agency which is designed to maintain the integrity and accountability of the United States Postal Service. With 90 regional offices across the country and a staff of over 1,000, the Office of the Inspector General is one of the largest such agencies in the United States, and it is constantly investigating allegations of crimes, performing routine audits, and working to improve the efficiency of the United States Postal Service. By maintaining the integrity of the postal service, the Inspector General hopes to keep consumer confidence high.
This agency was founded in 1996, when it took over some of the duties of the Postal Inspection Service. The Inspector General focuses on the issues of fraud, waste, and misconduct. In the case of the postal service, fraud can take a lot of forms; for example, employees may be indicted for misusing government issued credit cards, or forging Treasury checks. Waste is a constant problem in any large company, made even more complex by the sprawling nature of the postal service. Misconduct takes a number of forms, from stealing mail to failing to observe the proper protocol in promotions.
The Office of the Inspector General does not report to the postal service management. It reports directly to the nine people on the Board of Governors which oversees the United States Postal Service, and to Congress. By remaining independent, the agency ensures that it acts appropriately, and that its data will be accurate and acceptable, without allegations of kickbacks, bribes, or other misconduct which could compromise the integrity of the agency.
In addition to securing the integrity of the mails in the United States, the Inspector General also works to make the post office more efficient. This agency may support the development of new techniques to reduce waste, for example, and it is responsible for keeping revenue high and expenses low. This is accomplished through routine audits, the results of which are reported to congress.
There are a number of jobs available in the Office of the Inspector General, for people who are interested in a career with the agency. These range from positions as Special Agents to secretarial jobs. Many employees have an accounting or law enforcement background, representing the primary mission of the Office of the Inspector General, and like many government agencies, this agency is always on the lookout for high quality employees.
