Police officers in Billerica, Massachusetts, have unexpectedly taken on the role of delivery drivers after finding more than a dozen Amazon packages abandoned on local roads on two separate occasions in as many weeks.
The first incident occurred the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Officer Sam Hawkes was on patrol near the Market Basket on Boston Road when he found eight Amazon packages scattered in the middle of the street.
"I got out thinking they were trash and [thought about] just pushing them closer to the dumpsters there," said Officer Hawkes. "But then I found out they were full packages with orders inside."
Instead of leaving them, Officer Hawkes called for backup. He and his colleagues loaded the packages into two police cruisers and hand-delivered every item to its rightful owner. Officer Hawkes noted they were looking for cameras or witnesses but found none.
One of the lucky recipients was John Thomas's wife. Mr. Thomas was watching a football game when he was surprised by a knock at the door. "I walked out to get it, and I was like oh boy what happened now," Thomas joked, only to find police officers holding his wife's package.
The incredible scenario repeated itself this week when officers discovered another eight Amazon packages lying on the side of Salem Road across town. The officers who found them provided the same extraordinary courtesy, personally delivering the items.
"We all have to help each other out," said Officer Tom Cranson, who assisted in the package pickup. "It is obviously stressful during the holidays so just to get people's packages back was a huge stress reliever for everybody."
John Thomas expressed deep gratitude for the officers' efforts. "They have a lot of other things to do besides delivering packages, and I was very appreciative," he said. Amazon acknowledged they were working with the Billerica Police Department but offered no further comment.
The Hidden Costs of Last-Mile Delivery
While the Billerica Police Department’s actions are commendable, the recurring issue of lost packages highlights potential systemic problems in the delivery process, particularly concerning the compensation and working conditions for Amazon Flex drivers.
Flex drivers, who are independent contractors, are often paid around $18.50 per hour. A standard delivery block can range from a handful up to 45 packages to be delivered in a roughly four-hour timeframe.
This hourly wage is the gross pay, not including significant out-of-pocket expenses that the subcontractor driver is responsible for, such as:
- Gas and Fuel
- Vehicle Wear and Tear
- Car Insurance
- Taxes: Once a driver earns over $600 in revenue, they are responsible for paying all self-employment taxes, including Social Security, State, and Federal taxes.
The low effective wage, combined with the stress of meeting high package quotas in tight timeframes, can lead to the "negativity and stress" drivers experience. It raises the question of whether police resources should be dedicated to fixing the symptoms of underpaid labor rather than drawing attention to the underlying issue of low wages and the resulting pressure on drivers, which may contribute to these package losses.
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