[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 10, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO DAN SMOOT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 10, 2015

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
one of the most dedicated and respected law enforcement officials in 
narcotics diversion and substance abuse education in Kentucky, Dan 
Smoot, in honor of his 33 years of law enforcement service--12 of which 
were spent as a leader at an organization near and dear to my heart, 
Operation UNITE.
   After serving more than two decades as a narcotics diversion 
specialist for the Kentucky State Police in Eastern Kentucky, Smoot was 
one of the first leaders brought on board to help launch Operation 
UNITE, a non-profit organization designed to tackle the tidal wave of 
drug abuse that hit Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District with the 
release of powerful prescription painkillers in our rural region. 
Because of the unique challenges associated with prescription drug 
addiction and abuse, UNITE's name reflects its three-pronged, holistic 
approach--Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education.
   As the inaugural Law Enforcement Director, he undertook the daunting 
task of developing and implementing law enforcement policies and 
procedures for UNITE's accredited task force. Critically important to 
the organization's success has been buy-in and cooperation among local 
law enforcement, and Smoot's early work at UNITE was critical to 
forging these partnerships. He engaged with more than 30 different 
fiscal courts to enact interlocal cooperation agreements to provide 
jurisdiction for UNITE to work with local law enforcement agencies in 
each county. Thus far, UNITE's task force has arrested more than 4,000 
drug traffickers, taken over $12.3 million in drugs off the streets, 
while maintaining a 97% conviction rate in southern and eastern 
Kentucky. Closely collaborating with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency 
(DEA), Smoot developed an innovative debit card program to fund street-
level drug purchases for local police departments and sheriff's offices 
in eleven counties. Additionally, he has developed a reputation for his 
tireless advocacy for better drug abuse-related policy and legislation 
in Kentucky and surrounding states. As a result of his efforts, Smoot 
was named President and CEO of UNITE in 2013.
   Though the majority of his career has been focused on law 
enforcement, Smoot quickly became an advocate for UNITE's effective 
education and treatment programs. It takes a special kind of law 
enforcement officer to commit to treatment and education programs--but 
Smoot immediately bought in, and it's due in large part to his 
leadership, to his steadfast guidance and advocacy, and to his 
unwavering commitment to this critically important cause that UNITE 
shines as a national leader in helping individuals take back their 
communities from the scourge of drug abuse. He has supported Drug Court 
programs and spent countless hours educating community members and 
students about drug abuse prevention across the region. Whether he is 
talking to national leaders or spending time with at-risk middle school 
children at Camp UNITE, his passion to end the cycle of drug abuse in 
Kentucky is remarkable. The story of his career is now written, not 
only by the drug traffickers who have spent time in state and federal 
prisons for illicit drug activities, but also by their children and 
grandchildren who now realize there is hope for a better future, thanks 
to the valiant education and treatment programs he helped lead at 
Operation UNITE.
   I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding Dan Smoot's incredible 
leadership in our life-saving and life-changing anti-drug efforts in 
Kentucky and throughout our Appalachian region. I have no doubt that he 
will carry these incredible and laudable professional and personal 
traits with him into any future endeavors, and I certainly wish him the 
very best in his new post with the Appalachian High Intensity Drug 
Trafficking Area (AHIDTA).

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