Quote Originally Posted by borzoimom
And by the way- a postal inspector can arrest you WITHOUT cause..
Actually they can arrest, but NOT without a cause per the US code. I highlighted the parts from the code applicable to this below as well as included the link to the US House of Rep. which has posted the code online.


US Code - House of Rep.

-CITE-

18 USC Sec. 3061 01/03/05

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

PART II - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

CHAPTER 203 - ARREST AND COMMITMENT

-HEAD-

Sec. 3061. Investigative powers of Postal Service personnel
-STATUTE-

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, Postal Inspectors

and other agents of the United States Postal Service designated by

the Board of Governors to investigate criminal matters related to

the Postal Service and the mails may -

(1) serve warrants and subpoenas issued under the authority of

the United States;

(2) make arrests without warrant for offenses against the

United States committed in their presence;

(3) make arrests without warrant for felonies cognizable under

the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to

believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is

committing such a felony;
(4) carry firearms; and

(5) make seizures of property as provided by law.

(b) The powers granted by subsection (a) of this section shall be

exercised only -

(1) in the enforcement of laws regarding property in the

custody of the Postal Service, property of the Postal Service,

the use of the mails, and other postal offenses; and

(2) to the extent authorized by the Attorney General pursuant

to agreement between the Attorney General and the Postal Service,

in the enforcement of other laws of the United States, if the

Attorney General determines that violations of such laws have a

detrimental effect upon the operations of the Postal Service.-SOURCE-

(Added Pub. L. 90-560, Sec. 5(a), Oct. 12, 1968, 82 Stat. 998;

amended Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat.

781; Pub. L. 100-690, title VI, Sec. 6251(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 102

Stat. 4362.)

-MISC1-

AMENDMENTS

1988 - Pub. L. 100-690 substituted "Investigative powers of

Postal Service personnel" for "Powers of postal personnel" in

section catchline, and amended text generally. Prior to amendment,

text read as follows:

"(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, officers and

employees of the Postal Service performing duties related to the

inspection of postal matters may, to the extent authorized by the

Board of Governors -

"(1) serve warrants and subpenas issued under the authority of

the United States;

"(2) make arrests without warrant for offenses against the

United States committed in their presence; and

"(3) make arrests without warrant for felonies cognizable under

the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to

believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is

committing such a felony.

"(b) The powers granted by subsection (a) of this section shall

be exercised only in the enforcement of laws regarding property of

the United States in the custody of the Postal Service, including

property of the Postal Service, the use of the mails, and other

postal offenses."

1970 - Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A)(i), substituted "postal

personnel" for "postal inspectors" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A)(ii), substituted

"officers and employees of the Postal Service performing duties

related to the inspection of postal matters may, to the extent

authorized by the Board of Governors - " for "postal inspectors

may, to the extent authorized by the Postmaster General - ".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A)(iii), substituted

"Postal Service, including property of the Postal Service," for

"postal service".

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT

Amendment by Pub. L. 91-375 effective within 1 year after Aug.

12, 1970, on date established therefor by the Board of Governors of

the United States Postal Service and published by it in the Federal

Register, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set out as an

Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal

Service.