Las Vegas letter carriers call for change after rise in violent attacks on the job
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Mail carriers held a rally downtown on Wednesday to raise awareness for what they called a startling rise in violent attacks in Las Vegas and across the nation.
“When I was attacked,” letter carrier Roberta Dang recalled. “I was caught off guard.”
Many U.S. Postal Service workers and National Association of Letter Carriers members were calling for change, while also recalling attacks on the job.
“I turned around,” letter carrier Mike Roksvold shared. “And there was an individual pointing a rifle at me.”
Roksvold told 8 News Now his mail van was stolen at gunpoint while he was working along Boulder Highway near Russell Road.
“The only thing I could think of,” he said. “Is what is going to happen to my family because of this?”
The National Association of Letter Carriers said Roksvold is one of 30 who has been attacked or robbed in the Las Vegas valley in the past three years.
Nine of those incidents targeted letter carriers working from the same post office in East Las Vegas, while three others involved carriers at a post office in the Central Valley.
Two letter carriers in Las Vegas have been attacked twice on the job, according to the NALC.
Nationally, the association said more than 2,000 letter carriers have been robbed or assaulted on the job since 2020.
“It’s appalling, it’s out of control,” NALC National President Brian Renfroe said during Wednesday’s rally.”And it’s unacceptable.”
Renfroe said the rallies and events he and other union members have held locally and around the country are important for everyone.
He told 8 News Now he is pushing for the passage of the federal ‘Protect Our Letter Carriers Act,’ which would improve technology and encourage harsher prosecution for crimes against letter carriers.
Namely, the bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Greg Landsman in March, would address collection boxes requiring arrow keys, which often make letter carriers targets for robberies, according to the NALC.
“Bring awareness to the issue that hopefully will be a piece of the solution moving forward,” Renfroe said. “To release this alarming trend.”
Those who spoke with 8 News Now said they hope to stop this ongoing issue, so they can serve the community they love safely.
“It’s gotta stop,” Roksvold concluded.
For a look at the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act, click HERE
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