"The Postal Service last month abruptly ordered its police officers to stop investigating mail theft that occurs away from post office property, the Postal Police Officers Association alleged Monday, suing Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to block a change they say could erode the safety of mail carriers and delivery.

Per the lawsuit, a senior Postal Service Deputy Chief Inspector Craig Goldberg first raised the notion that postal police officers may not be legally permitted to exercise law enforcement authority away from USPS real estate in February. But the union said the agency "routinely" continued to send out postal police to investigate matters off of USPS property.

But that changed last month when Deputy Chief Inspector David Bowers issued an Aug. 25 "National Communication to all Inspection Service Divisions."

"According to Bowers, Postal Police Officers no longer had any law-enforcement authority, whatsoever, except when they are physically stationed on real estate owned or leased by the Postal Service," the union described. "Accordingly, Bowers directed that PPOs immediately cease and desist from any and all law-enforcement activity except within postal facilities."

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/14/postal-service-police-union-sues-dejoy-414537