More than a century after his line-of-duty death in rural Colorado, Post Office Inspector Almon Frederick’s name has been added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC.
On April 14, 1910, after performing official duties at the Bland, CO, Post Office, Frederick headed back to his office in Madison, CO. The 20-year veteran was thrown from his seat when a bolt broke on his horse-drawn carriage. His team of horses galloped away as the inspector lay in the road.
Frederick, who was 65, sustained broken ribs and other internal injuries. He died four days later.
His story remained largely untold until two postal inspectors — Inspector Daniel Wessel, in Mobile, AL, and Inspector Travis Smoot, in Salt Lake City — unearthed it.
From reading old copies of the Congressional Record and by doing next-of-kin research, they learned that Frederick was responsible for establishing rural free delivery in Arizona and Colorado.
Back then, to expand mail service, inspectors needed to check roads, Post Offices and other details such as whether the houses were numbered.
“One obituary talked about a clerk who stole $15,000,” Wessel said. “Frederick hunted him down to Wyoming and found the money hidden in a chicken coop.”
Frederick also tracked a train robber to Mexico, where he arrested him.
“It’s very rewarding to uncover these stories,” Smoot said. “There is some amazing early history that is all but forgotten. It just needs someone to find it.
“Daniel and I just want to do right by these inspectors and their families,” Smoot said. “We don’t think any person who loses his life to the Service should be forgotten.”
Each May during National Police Week in Washington, DC, names of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty are added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
There are more than 24,000 names, dating back to the first known line-of-duty death in 1786. With the addition of Frederick, there are now 16 postal inspectors and postal police officers memorialized there.
A ceremony at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC, and a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial honoring Frederick took place on May 11.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund held a candlelight vigil on May 13, where Frederick’s name was read aloud.
There is a profound difference between honoring fallen law-enforcement officers and using tragedy as institutional public relations content. The recent Postal Inspection Service memorial article crosses that line. (USPS Employee News)
This is the same agency that previously produced and promoted a documentary around the murder of letter carrier Irene Pressley — turning an unspeakable human tragedy into branded media content complete with promotional rollout and publicity. (USPS Employee News)
The focus should always be on the victims, their families, and the solemnity of their sacrifice — not on institutional image management or self-congratulatory storytelling. Some things deserve dignity and restraint, not marketing campaigns.
The Inspection Service is reprehensible. I am ashamed to be a former inspector. Disgusting.
When a government institution uses human tragedy to market itself, it stops honoring the dead and starts exploiting them. That’s exactly what the Inspection Service has done for years. It’s disgraceful.
Instead of investigating mail theft and assaults on letter carriers these idiots are on an ego trip looking for evidence that somehow shows being a postal inspector is dangerous.
It’s not. Being a letter carrier is much more dangerous. Carriers are dying left and right – practically every day for years — not a peep out of leadership. But now the postal service is honoring a postal inspector who died over 100 years ago. Amazing.
I have been a carrier for 26 years. I have spoken to a postal inspector once when he asked me where he could find the post office because he was lost. They’re a joke. They dont care about the safety of postal workers or the mail. All they care about is trying to get home as early as possible. They get annoyed when you report stolen mail — they’re like, “no kidding – what do ya want me to do about it — get in line.” What a waste of money. When was the last time a postal inspector was killed on duty. Never happens. Carriers get killed all the time. No comparison. They should shut up.
This is laughable. A personal inspector dies on a horse over 100 years ago and these idiots are laying a wreath. The postal service should have a memorial for all the letter carries that get killed on the job but they don’t. Instead they have these two clowns standing with those stupid smiles on their face – it’s an embarrassment.
We had a crooked Inspector in Boston
Name was McClonkon or something.
I met him once something off about him.
Then it came out latter he was stealing all kind of stuff.
Boy did they fight for him???
Think he went to jail, but the USPS was still fighting for him.
Not a big fan of Inspectors!!!
How many work hours did those 2 thieves use to find that over 100
year old story???
I mean aren’t people stealing mail.
Doesn’t anyone find that odd that these 2 pukes had nothing
else to do Jeez!!!!
Funny how two postal inspectors can spent their time dregging up details about some 100 year old case in order to try to get themselves into the spotlight they so crave. They are desperately pathetic. Perhaps they should spend some time actually doing their damn jobs and addressing the mail theft that is out of control throughout the U.S.
The Postal Inspection Service should not be the brunt of jokes and ridicule. They strive to be an agency with the highest morality, honesty, truthfulness and concern. I am not joking. I repeat, this is not sarcasm. I really, really, really mean what I’m saying. Please stop laughing.
Read about Scott Kelly inspector in Boston.