Restricting facility access: a postal inspector answers your questions

Recently, Postal Inspector Tony Robinson received a question about what constitutes a security violation in regard to restroom access. 
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Since the answers that he provided are relevant to all Postal facilities in Alabama, he shared his explanation with us with the hope that all Alabama USPS employees understand the security regulations and why such policies are necessary. 


Q: The post office does not have public restrooms.  Where can I find this written, so that I may post this for all of the SSA's to read.  Is this not a security violation?


A: Toilets are inside the restricted area of postal facilities and come under “support areas,” not public areas.  


AS503 does allow a Contract Driver’s Room in large P&D facilities to provide space and utilities for a commercial telephone, electric water cooler and toilet facility; however, such should designed so that contract drivers are discouraged from direct access to the workroom floor and located so that management can observe drivers.  In all other offices, contract drivers are not allowed unfettered access to linger in the workroom area (District Policy sent out last year and the year or two before that). 

None of the facilities in Alabama that I have visited have toiletries provided in the public areas.  The closest example of two that do is Florence and Decatur, but John Smith will have to go through the US Marshalls to use them on the floors having a federal court room (not likely unless Mr. Smith has court room business to conduct there).

Title 39 Code of Federal Regulations Part 231.1 designates the Chief Postal Inspector as the security officer for the USPS  who is responsible for issuing instructions and regulations regarding security.  Part 231.2 designates the postmaster or supervisor designated by the postmaster as the security control officer responsible for ensuring that operations are carried out in accordance to rules and regulations set forth by USPIS.

Passport offices are supposed to be conducted in the public accessed areas.  I have found a few over the years that were allowing people to go to the workroom area: this should not be happening.  The district also sent out a notice regarding passport offices to discontinue such practices.   

If we didn’t have such a policy, it would not take much for someone seeking revenge (ie. Ex-boyfriend) to ask to use the restroom only to gain unquestioned access to the workroom floor.

Tony Robinson

Postal Inspector