William Gilligan was appointed as the Acting Chief Postal Inspector for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in October 2008. The Chief Postal Inspector oversees all operations of the Postal Inspection Service, which includes National Headquarters, 18 divisions, 2 service centers and a national forensic laboratory. The installations are staffed by more than 1,500 Postal Inspectors, more than 650 Postal Police and more than 500 support personnel.

The Postal Inspection Service is one of the oldest American federal law enforcement agencies. As the investigative and security arm of the Postal Service, it is responsible for protecting employees, assets and customers, administering security and crime prevention programs, and enforcing criminal and civil statutes against individuals who attack the postal system and misuse it to defraud, endanger or otherwise threaten the American public.

Prior to his appointment as Acting Chief Postal Inspector, Gilligan served as deputy general counsel at U.S. Postal Service Headquarters since May 2000. A 35-year postal veteran, Gilligan began his postal career in 1973 as a clerk-carrier in Philadelphia. In 1976 he served as a Postal Police Officer and in 1979 Chief Gilligan became an Inspection Service analyst focusing on Security and Fraud until 1982 when he transitioned to personnel. In 1987 Gilligan became an attorney with the U.S. Postal Service. He has served in a variety of leadership positions within the Law Department.

Gilligan holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in criminal justice from West Chester State University. He earned a law degree from Delaware Law School.

November 2008