LTC 40(a)-2003To:
From:
Subject:
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No.
Mayor David Dermer and Date: February 4, 2003
Members of the City Commission
Jorge U. Gonzalez ~, ~
City Manager /,.1~v- ~
I /
DADE COUNTY ~SSOClATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (D.C.A.C.P.)
JANUARY 2003 OFFICER OF THE MONTH - MBPD SGT. SMOLAYNSKI
This Letter to the Commission is to provide information on the D.C.A.C.P. selection of the
Miami Beach Police Department's Sergeant Peter Smolyanski as its Officer of the Month
for January 2003 for his involvement in the FBI's Operation White Terror.
This was an intricate undercover operation in which Sgt. Smolyanski met with members of
a Columbian terrorist group - the AUC. The AUC is classified as a foreign terrorist
organization by the United States government and according to the Columbian
government, has conducted at least 800 assassinations and 200 kidnappings in the year
2000, in addition to exporting drugs throughout the world. The leaders of this group met
with Sgt. Smolyanski believing he could trade cash and cocaine for the weapons that they
needed to conduct their terrorist operations.
Meeting these terrorists in several other countries, Sgt. Smolyanski negotiated a trade of
$25 million in cash and drugs for five crates of Russian made weapons. These included
missiles, grenades, machine guns, and ammunition. When plans were finalized, Sgt.
Smolyanski met with them in another country to lure them to an arrest location. Through
his efforts, four suspects were successfully taken into custody.
The danger inherent in this type of assignment cannot be stressed enough. It requires
nerves of steel and immeasurable courage. This assignment truly showed Sgt. Smolyanski
to be the epitome of a dedicated law enforcement professional who goes above and
beyond merely the call of duty. Please join me in congratulating him on this tremendous
accomplishment.
JMG\D~)\tr
c: Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners
F:\POLI~ADMI\$C H 1~2003\LTC SMOLYANSKI.DOC