LTC 268-2017 Dedication of MBPD Community Room to Major James SmithOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# 268 -2017
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Philip Levine and Members of e City Co
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: May 3, 2017
SUBJECT: Dedication of MBPD Communit " Room to Major James Smith
The Mayor and Commission are invited to the dedication ceremony for the Miami Beach
Police Department's Community Room on Wednesday, May 24tn at 11:00 a.m. The
MBPD Community Room is going to be dedicated to retired Major James Smith.
Major Smith was born Nov. 12, 1929, in Starke, Florida. He played semi - professional
baseball for a Brooklyn Dodgers affiliate, delivered furniture and worked as a guard at
the Miami stockade before becoming the Miami Beach Police Department's first African
American police officer in 1964. Officer James Smith was promoted to the rank of
Sergeant in 1971, became a Lieutenant in 1975, and a Captain in 1988. He was
promoted to the rank of Major in 1989 and retired as the Patrol Major in 1990.
Major James Smith passed away on January 31, 2017 at the age of 87. We will be
honoring his memory and contributions to the Miami Beach Police Department by
dedicating the first floor Community Room to him.
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