LTC 233-2011 MDC Association of Chiefs August 2011 Officer of the Month ./\/\I,AMI BEACH
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
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N O-. LT 4I T C;O AISSIO `
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TO: Mayor 'Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM:, Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager 44-6
DATE: September. 19, 2011
SUBJECT: Miami -Dade County Association of'Chiefs of Police August 2011 Officer of the.
Month MBPD Detectives Mario' Pena and Luis Estopian
This Letter to the Mayor and City Commission is to. announce�the awarding of the Miami-
".Dade County. Association of , Ch'iefs of Police (MDCACP) August 2011 Officer of the
Month Award to MBPD Detectives Mario Pena and Luis Estopian. Detectives Mario
Pena and Luis Estopian received this prestigious award for their tireless investigation of
the attempted robbery and shooting of NYPD Detective Harold Thomas.
During. the early morning hours of July 23, 2011, vacationing NYPD Detective Harold
Thomas was- returning to= his courtyard hotel at 1 Collins Ave. As Detective Thomas
entered the courtyard ,of the hotel, he was attacked by two individuals' who attempted to
rob him at gunpoint. Detective. Thomas-- was .able to take cover behind.a tree and draw,
his service. firearm, exchanging gun shots with these criminals before they-fled wounded
and empty handed.
Detective Thomas had sustained a serious gunshot wound from the subjects and was
lay ing in the courtyard. bleeding profusely. on the _' 'round and unconscious. Several
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reports of gunshots were reported . by individuals in the immediate area. Uniform patrol
officers arrived quickly and found the injured detective. Detective Thomas was able to
give a brief description of the subjects.. A BOLO was broadcast . within minutes . for two
black male subjects who fled in a white BMW.
Detectives, from the violent crimes /homicide squad responded to the scene and
immediately began to `interview witnesses and begin the ' investigation. Detective Mario
Pena was .designated as the lead investigator and Detective Luis Estopian was the co-
lead. Throughout the next five days - detectives worked tirelessly in moving this
investigation forward. .Through the diligent efforts and tenacity of all those involved in
this investigation (U.S. Secret Service, BSO's - Homicide . Squad, Miami -Dade
' Corrections,. NYPD Investigative Personnel, and the . MBPD Crime. Scene Unit),
overwhelming probable cause was developed. to arrest Mustafa Lee and Francisco
Hernandez: Both were charged with felony murder. Detective Harold Thomas
recovered enough from his extensive -injuries to speak with Detectives- Pena and
Estopian in order to provide additional information to solidify the case against these
career criminals. Both detectives were relentless in . their efforts to apprehend these
violent' subjects and should be commended for their dogged determination -and
outstanding efforts in this case.
It is also significant to note that Officers from the Miami Beach Police Department have
won the prestigious MDCACP Officer of the Month Award four out of the eight months
thus far this year. This is an unprecedented honor and recognition for the MBPD, which.
speaks volumes about the organization in spite of recent- attempts from multiple sources
to .negatively influence perceptions. The outstanding efforts of the MBPD in this case,
especially those of the two detectives receiving the MDCACP award, once again drew
widespread accolades including several made through personal phone calls between
Chief Nonega and NYPD Police Commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly. The previous
winners include:.
March 2011 — Sergeant Howard Bennett and Sergeant Ibrahim Garcia
Sergeant Steve Feldman, Officers Robert Chenoweth and Grant Reid
(two separate incidents)
April 2011 - —Officer Antonio Ferbeyre
May 2011 — Detective Luis King
Please join me in congratulating Detectives Mario Pena and Luis Estopian as well as the
MBPD winners from March, April and May 2011:
JMG:CN:tr