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Alarming Statistics

According to CBS NEWS, the United States Postal Service has just released its latest annual dog attack numbers, and the grim statistics reveal a troubling trend of increased canine incidents facing its letter carriers over the past year. A staggering 5,800 employees suffered dog bites or attacks while simply attempting to do their jobs and deliver our mail in 2023.

Los Angeles Tops the List

Even more disconcerting, the city earning the unwanted distinction as the worst offender for these types of episodes was Los Angeles – where 65 mail carriers were assaulted by aggressive dogs meets or exceeds the total for entire states. Houston and Chicago followed as the next most dangerous locales at 56 and 48 incidents, respectively.

National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign

In an effort to raise awareness and promote responsible pet ownership to curb these preventable attacks, the Postal Service is kicking off its weeklong National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign starting June 2nd. This year’s straightforward theme pleads to owners: “Don’t let your dog bite the hand that serves you.”

“The U.S. Postal Service consistently encourages responsible pet ownership. The national dog bite campaign is an effort to promote dog bite awareness to keep our customers, their dogs, and letter carriers safe while delivering the mail,” stated Leeann Theriault, USPS Manager of Employee Safety and Health Awareness.

The Responsibility of Pet Owners

For the men and women dutifully completing their routes each day, encountering an unfriendly pooch can quickly turn a routine delivery into a traumatizing ordeal filled with physical harm, medical costs, and lost workdays. Letter carriers are provided training on never assuming a dog won’t bite and how to appropriately respond to unleashed or unsecured canines.

Preventive Measures

However, the responsibility for preventing these incidents ultimately falls on pet owners themselves. The Postal Service implores owners to take simple precautions like keeping dogs secured behind fences or inside during delivery hours, on leashes, or safely contained in another room until the mail has been dropped off.

Children should also be cautioned against retrieving mail directly from carriers, as protective dogs may misinterpret the unfamiliar interaction as threatening. In severe cases, dog owners face the undesirable consequence of having their home’s mail service suspended entirely until the unsafe conditions are resolved.

Already facing strenuous working conditions, the last thing our nation’s mail carriers should have to worry about is being randomly mauled while punching the clock. The recent spike in dog attacks poses serious financial costs, productivity drains, and safety risks that ideally could be mitigated through responsible pet practices and community education.

Community Education

Whether it’s properly restraining canine companions, reporting stray dogs, or subscribing to USPS’ free Package Pickup service for large deliveries, there are easy steps every household can take to drastically cut down on these injurious mail carrier incidents. As we collectively strive to make our neighborhoods safer for those who keep the nation’s mail flowing, a little prevention could go a long way in Los Angeles and cities everywhere. I sincerely hope you find this “Los Angeles Tops List for Dog Attacks on Mail Carriers-What’s The Reason?” article helpful.

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Chan’s Role in Huizar Pay-to-Play Scheme

According to MSN, Chan, 67, was convicted in March on 12 federal felony counts tied to the high-profile pay-to-play corruption scandal involving ex-City Councilmember Jose Huizar. He was found guilty of conspiracy, honest services fraud, bribery and making false statements.

As a former general manager of the LA Building and Safety Department before becoming a deputy mayor, evidence showed Chan played a key role in Huizar’s criminal enterprise that traded favors to wealthy developers in exchange for illicit benefits.

More Time Sought for Mitigating Evidence

The sentencing had initially been scheduled for June 10th in LA federal court. However, Judge John Walter granted a four-month delay this week after one of Chan’s attorneys, John Hanusz, argued more preparation was needed.

In his request, Hanusz stated the defense team is still “gathering documentary evidence and letters from professional colleagues, friends, family, co-workers and other individuals to present to the court for consideration at sentencing.”

Huizar’s 13-Year Prison Sentence

Chan’s former co-conspirator Jose Huizar was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison last year after pleading guilty. The 55-year-old admitted using his position on the City Council to unlawfully enrich himself and associates through the sprawling criminal enterprise.

Stiff Penalties Possible for Chan

With Huizar receiving over a decade behind bars, Chan is likely bracing for a lengthy sentence as well when he returns to court this fall. Federal prosecutors are expected to advocate for serious punishment befitting Chan’s central role in facilitating bribery and corruption at LA’s highest levels of city government.

The delayed sentencing allows more time for Chan’s lawyers to compile mitigating factors and character evidence. However, the prospect of a major prison term still looms as the former deputy mayor awaits his ultimate punishment for betraying public trust. I sincerely hope you find this “Ex-LA Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan Sentencing Pushed to October – What’s the Reasoning?” article helpful.

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