HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter - U.S. Department of JusticeU.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
In Reply, Please Refer to
File No. 16320 NW 2nd Ave.
North Miami Beach, Florida 33169
(305) 944-9101
November 1, 2012
City of Miami Police Department
400 NW 2nd Ave.
Miami, Florida 33101
Attention: Manuel Orso
Chief of Police
RE: Jennifer Kawiorski
Dear Manuel Orso:
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DEC v 6 2012
RECEIVED
This communication serves to advise you that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
Miami Division has made some recent changes regarding the South American Theft Group Task
Force and the Cargo Theft Task Force which will affect members of your agency that are
currently assigned as full time task force officers (TFOs) to either of the mentioned.
As you are aware, both of these task forces fall under the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force
Initiative and have been in operation during the past several years. During this time, many
investigative successes have been achieved based on the hard work and commitment of its
members. The South American Theft Group Task Force operated with a compliment of four (4)
TFOs and one (1) FBI agent and the Cargo Theft Task Force operated with a compliment of
three (3) TFOs and five (5) FBI agents.
After recently performing an evaluation of each task force and its efficiency at addressing
the major theft threats in the Miami Metropolitan Area, a determination was made that personnel
resources could be better utilized and managed if one of the task forces was discontinued and the
agent and TFO personnel resources were merged into one focused entity.
Since the threat posed in previous years by South American Theft Groups has diminished
considerably over the past three years and the threat from Cuban Criminal Enterprises engaging
in cargo threat has increased, merging resources from the South American Theft Group Task
Force into the Cargo Theft Task Force was deemed as the logical course of action.
The following actions will take place immediately as a result of the change:
1. The existing Cargo Theft Task Force will be redefined with a compliment of six (6) FBI
agents and seven (7) TFOs all assigned on a full time basis. FBI Miami will attempt to
enhance the task force with additional TFOs during FY 13 in an attempt to bring the total
of personnel resources to seventeen.
2. The mission of the Cargo Theft Task Force will now focus on attacking criminal
enterprises involved in major theft as a whole. The top three priorities of the task force
will be cargo theft, high value art theft, and high value jewelry theft.
3. Rename the Cargo Theft Task Force the Miami Metropolitan Major Theft Task Force.
This will support the task force's new broadened mission which encompasses all major
theft threats in the Miami Metropolitan Area.
Our goal in facilitating this change is to enhance the strong relationships formed over the
years with our task force partners in combating Miami's ever evolving major theft threat. We
feel strongly that by combining personnel resources and maintaining strict focus on the emerging
threats that our efforts as a team will have a direct and positive impact on the community. We
look forward to your continued participation and support of the Miami Metropolitan Major Theft
Task Force.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Steinbach
Special Agent in Charge
Kenn th J. ena
Supervisory Special Agent
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