. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non . Mr Smyly attempted to detain Mr Atkinson . If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted, attorney Siddhartha Rathod told the newspaper. I have practiced law for over 28 years, 14 of those years as a federal prosecutor and . Officer Smyly drew his gun and called in backup during the confrontation in March. Maybe he got a suspicious call or saw something but things escalated. A white Colorado police officer who confronted a black man picking up trash around his dormitory resigned this week under an agreement that lets him collect $69,000 in salary despite violating department policies. Youre probably going to get tased in a second, because you have a weapon, Smyly told Atkinson before brandishing his handgun. The investigation report said that while Mr Smyly had not used racial language during the incident and had "specifically" told them his actions were not based on Mr Atkinson's race, the student had disagreed. That footage only showed Zayd Atkinson holding a bucket and a tool for picking up trash as police officers surrounded him outside the dormitory for students at Naropa University, a liberal arts school associated with Buddhism. To make matters worse, Smyly gets to chill at home with pay until Feb. 9 of next year while Atkinson says hes been plagued with anxiety by way of the trauma of the exchange. The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . setTimeout( function() { When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to tase him. Smyly then detained Atkinson for further investigation,which prompted Atkinson to grow frustrated. This Is [Not] Who We Are won a prestigious Peoples Choice Award when it premiered at the Boulder International Film Festival in March, and after the screening, scores of people eagerly participated in a call-to-action discussion session. The city of Boulder said in a statement Thursday that officer John Smyly violated multiple department policies when he confronted Zayd Atkinson, 26, in March. Smyly resigned on May 15, before the conclusion of the disciplinary process. Such is the case of Boulder, Colo., police officer John Smyly over his interaction with Zayd Atkinson on March 1st this year. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. The Associated Press reports he will earn benefits and a salary during this time and will be compensated for any unused holiday he accrues. Smyly reportedly asked Atkinson if he was permitted to be at the location. IE 11 is not supported. Investigators also determined that a person overheard on the footage telling Atkinson that he was likely racially profiled was a Naropa employee and not one of the responding officers. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. endstream endobj startxref A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. hbbd```b``>"gk`G`vd "Y rdle`bd`u$300 * He currently heads the SPIRIT.ED column for Cassius Life, which focuses on adult beverages and their history. Most young women are not. Kazeem Oyeneyin answers the door at his home in Raleigh, N.C., on Aug. 17. 411 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[400 19]/Info 399 0 R/Length 74/Prev 280568/Root 401 0 R/Size 419/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. %PDF-1.6 % At one point, eight police officers were surrounding Atkinson, but they eventually left after confirming Atkinson did indeed live in the building as he claimed. His first big break in journalism came with the now-defunct Politically Black in 1999, the nation's first Black political news portal. @dlchandler123. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Boulder, CO 80309-0459, University of Colorado Boulder Regents of the University of Colorado Embattled NC sheriff resigns again before DA details accusations against him in court. Officer John Smyly was allowed to resign. BOULDER, Colo. -- New video shows the heated encounter that went viral back in March -- a black man confronted by a Boulder police officer while picking up trash in his own yard. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. Police body camera footage released Thursday . Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. D.L. Atkinson, who was holding a trash picker at the time, then told Smyly that he both lived and worked there before giving the officer his ID card. Alumni Association Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong.Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM / CBS Colorado. Stop!. A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. Simon and Sally Glass say findings vindicate their belief that their son was murdered by Clear Creek County sheriff's deputies. The body camera footage of Officer Smyly shows the exchange between go sour after Atkinson told him that he was a resident and offered to show him his access . He will receive commensurate pay and benefits during that period and a single, lump sum payment for any accrued and unused vacation time when his employment officially ends Feb. 9. Film is the tool you can use to help other people say what they need to say, said Strong. Atkinson responded by showing the officer his school identification card and telling him that he lived there. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. Police body camera footage released Thursday provided a full video account of the tense encounter, which had gained national attention based on video shot by someone inside a student dormitory at Naropa University, a liberal arts school associated with Buddhism in the city of Boulder. In a statement, City Attorney Tom Carr said firing the officer, John Smyly, would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. KATHLEEN FOODY. Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod, said he thinks Smyly is getting off too easy. covers a variety of topics including breaking news, politics, Hip-Hop music and culture, fashion, and Black history. Smylys resignation comes more than two months after he and other officers confronted Atkinson,a student at Naropa University, at the patio area of his apartment, according to ABC News. Boulder Police Department's investigation found Mr Smyly had violated the department's rules on police authority, public trust and conduct. Now, 15 years later, Miller is once again using documentary film as a vehicle for social change. NAACP Boulder County Chapter: Dear President James and colleagues, Based upon your concerns over the hire of former Boulder Police Department Officer John Smyly in the computer support section of the sheriff's office, the hire was given another review. When demonstrators took to the . The Boulder City Council has also created a task force to study police oversight. In a documentary filmmaking class during her junior year at CU, Katrina Miller (Jour07) made a short movie about her friend, a Black student whod received a racially charged letter threatening her to step down from her post as student body president. Video shows Smyly approaching Atkinson in a partially enclosed patio area behind a private property sign, prompting the officer to ask if the man had a right to be there. That footage only showed Zayd Atkinson holding a bucket and a tool for picking up trash as police officers surrounded him outside the dormitory for students at Naropa University, a liberal arts school associated with Buddhism. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . Read about our approach to external linking. Atkinson's attorney, Denver-based civil rights attorney Siddhartha Rathod, said that Boulder was using taxpayer dollars to reward Smyly for racially profiling his client and putting Atkinson in fear for his life. By Breanna . In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: Join Facebook to connect with John Smyly and others you may know. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, executive summary of the internal affairs investigation, body camera videos, police report and dispatch tapes, Activists call for citizen review board after Boulder officers detain black man. Atkinson refused then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away.Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. But an independent review of the confrontation found no impropriety in the procedures . Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the buildings rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. Most young men are single. Facebook gives people the power to share. A Colorado police officer who detained a black man picking up trash in his yard is resigning after being found in violation of department policies. Despite the documentarys bleak outlook, the filmmakers remain optimistic, due in large part to the positive reception of the film so far. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March 2019. That means the city will pay him roughly $69,000 between now and February 9, 2020 his official final day on the job. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. The man he tried to bully and intimidate, Zayde Atkinson, NEVER gave in. Millers video didnt make it out of the classroom (though her peers did give her a standing ovation), but Miller never forgot the pride and passion she felt drawing attention to injustice. By Ben Kesslen. At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. (Facebook . He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . The body camera videos, the police reports and dispatch tapes related to the incident are available at https://t.co/Luru5y5XJk pic.twitter.com/1vquVsUp7u. They hope that after viewing the film, people will feel motivated to take action or start down a path of self-education, however they feel compelled to whether thats by joining the Boulder County branch of the NAACP, reading books on white privilege, having difficult conversations about race and ethnicity or something else entirely. Police body camera footage released Thursday provided a full video account of the tense encounter, which had gained national attention based on video shot by someone inside a student dormitory at Naropa University, a liberal arts school associated with Buddhism in the city of Boulder. "Boulder is essentially saying, 'We're going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayd's life, for racially profiling Zayd,'" Rathod told The Associated Press. hb```*f An attorney for Atkinson called the agreement with the city of Boulder ridiculous., Boulder is essentially saying, 'Were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd,' attorney Siddhartha Rathod said. The film centers on a recent incident that made headlines around the world: In March 2019, Boulder police officer John Smyly confronted and, ultimately, pointed his gun at Zayd Atkinson, a Black man and a student at Naropa University who was picking up trash outside of his dorm as part of his work-study job. Im picking up trash! %%EOF The subject officer should have ended his contact with Mr. Atkinson as soon as Mr. Atkinson provided his name, address and a brief explanation of what he was doing, the report read. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. "If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted. A documentary at this year's Denver Film Festival is challenging the City of Boulder's inclusive reputation. The report released with the video footage said Smyly had no authority to detain Atkinson or probable cause to charge him with any crime and should have left once Atkinson provided his name, address and his reason for being there. Youre gonna shoot a resident on his property for picking up trash?An investigative summary said Smyly drew his gun when the two men reached the back of the building. has worked in the past for MTV News, Billboard, and several other publications. @O $6(|a*P`t@dLYYo&$ ()lTA johhUCWLe8*%BsS@35,\4'Jaqm>$BlvR6 "If they don't have the ability to terminate racist officers, that's Boulder's problem not taxpayers' problem," Rathod said, pointing to new data that showed black and African-American people in Boulder were more than twice as likely to be arrested during a routine police stop than their white counterparts. Smyly violated police authority and public trust and conduct, according to the review process that wouldve likely ended in his suspension or termination had he not already resigned from the department, police told the newspaper. Mr. Atkinson turned, took out his ear buds, and asked what was going on. In a statement, City Attorney Tom Carr said firing the officer, John Smyly, would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. Boulder Police Officer John Smyly quit . Im picking up trash! VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, How 10% of Nigerian registered voters delivered victory, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip. He is not allowed to be reinstated to the Boulder Police Department. Carr said the resignation agreement allowed the city to provide the community information more quickly, and it transitioned Officer Smyly out of a law enforcement career. The citys bargaining agreement with police officers requires an appeal for any disciplinary action and could have allowed Smyly to return to duty, he added. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct, the city attorney said. }, 2000 ) } ); John Smyly, a former police officer in the city of Boulder, Colo., will not face harsh penalties after he racially profiled, harassed, and threatened a Black man doing a good deed in his community. Smyly is resigning but will "exhaust" his paid leave. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Mr Atkinson says in a video taken by a neighbour. Atkinson then raised his voice, causing the officer to become threatened by the trash grabber, according to the report. October 1, 2020. 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"That just pisses me off that my tax money is going there to this guy to hang out for a year after breaking the law and breaching my rights," Atkinson said. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role on May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It feels like they are jumping on this train with me after watching the film and hearing the stories.. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct, the city attorney said. A white police officer who pulled out his gun during a heated confrontation with a black college student picking up trash outside his Colorado dorm is resigning and will continue to collect his paycheck for the next eight months, city officials said. We still have people who really believe that Boulder is just this perfect town, who believe that what happened to Zayd was an isolated incident, so I want to reach every single resident somehow, some way, Miller said. Boulder is essentially saying were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd, said Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Atkinson asked for Smylys supervisor several times during the footage and a total of eight officers and a sergeant responded to the scene. The findings likely would have resulted in suspension or possible termination, according to the department. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. John Smyly, the Boulder, Colorado, officer who initiated contact with Zayd Atkinson that resulted in a tense interaction where several officers drew their guns, was allowed to resign. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. TwoFeather. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. It can be a great influencer, and Ive always known that there are certain issues in the world I want to address and the best medium to do that, for me, was film.. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. BOULDER, Colo. One of the Boulder police officers who confronted a black man as he was picking up trash in his yard has been found to be in violation of department policies and has resigned . 'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.async=true;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs'); On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! If you have information about the department Smyly is working for now, please email the information to realjamesfreeman@gmail.com, so I can publish it, warning potential new victims of his presence. Police body camera footage released . !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? window.addEventListener( 'loadOrInteraction', function() { Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. Follow @dlchandler123 A white Colorado police officer who confronted a black man picking . Privacy Legal & Trademarks Campus Map. John Smyly was found in violation of department policies and resigned in May 2019 after an internal investigation into Smyly's encounter with Zayd Atkinson in Boulder on March 1, 2019. He will receive commensurate pay and benefits during that period and a single, lump sum payment for any accrued and unused vacation time when his employment officially ends Feb. 9. Smyly next asked for Atkinsons date of birth. Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. The city offered to settle with Atkinson for $125,000. As Atkinson attempted to continue to pick up trash, Smyly told him, Youre probably going to get tased, and eventually pulled out his gun, claiming Atkinsons trash grabber could be used as a weapon. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! John Smyly resigned from the BPD after pointing a gun at Black Naropa student Zayd Atkinson, and he was just hired by Boulder County Sheriff. 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Boulder is essentially saying were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd, said Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. Supervised 25 different police officer trainees, evaluating job performance and developing training plans to encourage professional growth and improve deficiencies. More from The Latest Hip-Hop News, Music and Media | Hip-Hop Wired, Your email will be shared with hiphopwired.com and subject to its, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Loses Reelection Bid, Larsa Pippen Shares She Hung Out With Her Beaus Dad Michael Jordan, Dreamville & Daily Paper Launch Dream Daily Collection. Drought, dry grass and gusting winds lead to wildfire. Im picking up trash, and youre holding a gun!. John Smyly questioned and followed Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson near his home in Boulder. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinson's race. We would immediately lose our jobs.. The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. Smyly later said he believed his stun gun would be ineffective in subduing Atkinson because of the heavy coat he was wearing at the time, according to the report. John Smiley was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft from Perkiomen School (Pennsburg, PA). Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!After about eight minutes, more Boulder police officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson.One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. In a settlement, Smyly lost his gig but still will collect $69,000 in salary and wont see a blemish on his work record. Smyly drew his stun gun and followed Atkinson to the back of the building, repeatedly telling him to sit down on the ground and put the weapon down, referring to the trash tool. On March 1, 2019, back when few mainstream politicians used the term "systemic racism" while discussing law enforcement aimed at people of color, Boulder Police officer John Smyly starred in a . He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. An attorney for Atkinson called the agreement with the city of Boulder ridiculous.Boulder is essentially saying, 'Were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd,' attorney Siddhartha Rathod said. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. Colorado police confront man picking up trash on his lawn. Boulder police launch an internal investigation after a video surfaces showing officers confronting an African American man picking up trash in Boulder, Colorado. He will be on the city payroll until February 2020. 400 0 obj <> endobj In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. Atkinsons behavior reportedly led Smyly to radio for backup because the resident was being uncooperative and unwilling to put down a blunt object, a police statement obtained by ABC News said. He resigned before a disciplinary process commenced. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. Associated Press / May 17, 2019. is a native Washingtonian and resides in the Greater Washington area. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. "The city of Boulder is paying this officer nearly $80,000 [71,500] for violating the constitutional rights of Zayd," he said. According to the summary, one officer drew his handgun when he arrived but re-holstered it in less than a minute while Smyly had his gun out until Atkinson put the trash-grabbing tool down. On March 1 st, 2019, Officer John Smyly was conducting patrols when he saw Atkinson seated on a bench of the building that said "private property."Smyly approaches Atkinson as he sits on the bench to ask if he resides in the building. Thats what youre gonna do, officer? Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. More broadly, they hope as many people as possible will view the documentary and join us in trying to be the community that we want to be, Miller said. Stop!He then told Atkinson that he was obstructing a police officer, a jailable offense. Smyly later told Atkinson that he was being detained for trespassing.Smyly drew his Taser and followed Atkinson to the back of the building, repeatedly telling him to sit down on the ground and put the weapon down, referring to the trash tool. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. Details of the payment amount were included in the City Council agenda packet released Thursday evening ahead of its . These four House Republicans broke with the GOP to oppose inflation estimates McCarthy, GOP pump brakes on release of Jan. 6 footage to Tucker Carlson. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. A video showing part of the scene went viral on the Internet, sparking outrage in the progressive Colorado city. In a statement, City Attorney Tom Carr said firing the officer, John Smyly, would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. Read about our approach to external linking. However, Smyly resigned before the investigation concluded. It's like Live PD, except actually live, and without the \"cops can do no wrong\" bias.music in this videoLove Is Blind (Instrumental Version) - Coma Svenssonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u78BBpHcz44Wasted Education - Blue Topazhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqmKzeeDj54 He said he has had trouble sleeping since and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him.My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said.Carr, the city attorney, said the resignation agreement allowed the city to provide the community information more quickly, and it transitioned Officer Smyly out of a law enforcement career. The citys bargaining agreement with police officers requires an appeal for any disciplinary action and could have allowed Smyly to return to duty, he added.City officials said the investigation could not prove that Smyly acted because of Atkinsons race. The former Boulder police officer who resigned after pointing a gun at a Black Naropa student has taken a temporary civilian position with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office . City Attorney Tom Carr said the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the department. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. Boulder Police Officer John Smyly was one of several cops who confronted student Zayd Atkinson as he gathered garbage in his yard on March 1. Police body camera footage released Thursday provided a full video account of . Help other people say what they need to say, said Strong of... Threatened by the trash grabber, according to the department in journalism came the! Of those years as a vehicle for social change of external sites officer who confronted black! | All Rights Reserved & quot ; his paid leave a March 1, 2019 what... 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