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Colorado post office lobbies become magnet for homeless

Posted at 11:50 AM, Feb 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-17 13:50:50-05

DENVER – Many postal customers rely on 24-hour access to post offices lobbies, but they also become a magnet for transients, which has become a safety concern for the US Postal Service.

The USPS has had to discontinue overnight access to at least three locations in Colorado because of an influx of homeless individuals using the lobbies to sleep or cause other problems.

Branches in downtown Boulder and Denver ended 24-hour access in the last two years. More recently, the USPS ended overnight access at the downtown Grand Junction location.

David Rupert, a USPS spokesperson, said that lobbies are a magnet to some communities because they offer heat and light. However, the move to close those locations was prompted by several incidents, including assaults, that occurred in the lobbies overnight.

“It’s our desire to have 24-hour service for our customers, but it isn’t always practical or safe,” Rupert said. “The bottom line: We got to protect our customers.”

Rupert said the vast majority of post offices in the state still offer 24-hour access.

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