According to the police report, Smyly asked Atkinson if he lived there and Atkinson said he did, and provided his Naropa student ID. Here are some ways you can help. The city added that Smyly resigned . We should know where he is and if he's allowed to work as a cop or in a field that requires public trust. By Breanna . But Smyly kept insisting Atkinson tell him his unit number, wanting further proof that he lived there. 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. Additionally, the proper protocol would have been for the officer to walk away after Mr. Atkinson produced his student identification card and explained what he was doing. Previous post: Report: Jessica Aldama died after stillborn delivery in homeless encampment, Next post: Guest opinion: The housing Boulder refused to build, Change made to existing documents, resolutions, or ordinances. It was a frightening experience. Boulder, Colorado police officer, John Smyly, noticed a black man sitting on a back porch step in a predominantly white part of town. . "I couldn't help but notice you sitting on the patio out there," officer John Smyly says in the video. Body cam footage shows a School Resource Officer at a River Ridge High School threaten to shoot a student trying to leave campus on Dec. 17, 2019. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Lawrences arresting officer, Waylon Lolotai, left BPD in September 2020 amid an investigation into social media posts that glorified the use of force against residents, for which he was placed on administrative leave. https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/cijav8/officer_pulling_out_his_gun_on_a_student_outside/. He found none. This is one of those bad-apple cops the citizens of the country should keep track of. The charges were dismissed after Lawrence completed a deferred sentence; he filed suit in March 2021, asserting that his First and Fourth AmendmentChange made to existing documents, resolutions, or ordinances rights had been violated. According to the police report, Smyly asked Atkinson . Officer Smyly, an Anglo male, decided to question why Zayd Atkinson was there. SFC licensees. Hogwash! More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda. While the report said Atkinson was justified in his confusion and frustration, it said at no point in the entire incident did anyone use racial language, slurs or innuendo.. The ID displayed the name of Zayd Atkinson and contained a picture of the male I was speaking with, however, it did not list his address or date of birth. Reporting Officer: SMYLY, J. Investigations into both incidents were subject toindependent reviewdue to high community interest. Atkinson told the officer that he lived in the building and showed him his school identification card. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo . "I was suffering with a lot of anxiety, a lot of depression. A black man in Colorado said he hasn't slept well since he was traumatized by a group of white police officers who held him at gunpoint and detained him while he was picking up trash in front of his home. The staff person would be trained and specialized in the (Professional Standards Unit) process, forms and administrative functions, and should do other duties secondarily, rather than vice versa, the report read. Original Post: . Click here to sign up for a weekly newsletter, from Boulder Beat. He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . An independent review of the police investigation of an interaction between an officer and a black Naropa University student concluded the investigation met or exceeded standards and was right in finding no evidence of racial profiling. Help make the Beat better. When asked about the resignation of Smyly, Atkinson said he's glad "he's being held accountable for something but it seems like it's just bare minimum things.". "I need to verify who you are," Smyly says. Answer (1 of 9): "What probable cause did police have when they attempted to investigate Zayd Atkinson, a student at Naropa University, when he was picking up trash outside of his dorm?" I wonder, Dear Questioner, why you believe "probable cause" is the standard needed for a police officer to st. "It definitely brings fear to my heart knowing that some people don't survive. Zayd Atkinson speaks before Boulder City Council on March 18, 2019, about how he was treated by the Boulder Police officers while picking up trash in his own yard. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); copyright 2023. Was there a perspective we missed, or facts we didnt consider? Class 1 Professional Standards investigation for alleged violation of: Im picking up trash. It has historically had problems with minority communities," Rathod said. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. According to a news release earlier this month, a Boulder police officer saw a man, now identified as Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson, sitting in a partially enclosed patio area directly . Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash on his property and had not committed a crime. We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. Zayd Atkinson, 26, said it's been more than a month since a group of officers racially profiled him in a predominantly white neighborhood in Boulder, Colorado, but he's still fighting to overcome the "traumatic experience. Or mail cash/check/precious gemstones toP.O. Atkinson said he's had trouble sleeping since the incident. When demonstrators took to the . The City of Boulder approved a $125,000 payment to Atkinson in 2020. . The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more welcoming, and respectful place for all. The incident sparked outrage as video of the encounter made the rounds on social media. The settlement has been reported to be a sum of $125,000. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. This settlement affords some measure of justice to Sammie Lawrence, said Dan Williams of Hutchinson Black and Cook, LLC, co-counsel for Mr. Atkinson should not have been stopped. Boulder City Attorney Tom Carr and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday. Smyly resigned under an agreement that allows him to collect $69,000 in salary. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting , the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda. "I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all white town. Looking back on the incident, Atkinson says that when he saw the officer get out the stun gun, he thought 'Oh my gosh, he's going to shoot me.". how many wives does mufti menk havemr patel neurosurgeon cardiff 27 februari, 2023 / i how old was stewart granger when he died / av / i how old was stewart granger when he died / av University of Colorado Boulder Officer Drew Matthews (image via department) Under the anonymity of the internet, a University of Colorado Boulder police officer trolled . Two elected officials did direct comments to Lawrence. [ Pasco County Sheriff's Office ] Nedra Miller . The vast majority of young black men who are shot and killed fall victim to other young black men NOT to police officers of any color. The department issued a statement saying the "officer's decision to attempt to detain Mr. Atkinson was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, had committed, or was about to commit a crime, therefore he did not have authority to detain Mr. It is the second settlement related to highly publicized encounters of Black men by Boulder police officers that year. It l isted the main Naropa University address (2310 Arapahoe Avenue). "The officer's on a paid vacation right now; he's on a taxpayer paid vacation and he's at home being paid now for pointing a gun at a black man," Rathod told "GMA." I'm not doing anything illegal, and you're not going to f------ tase me," Atkinson said in the video. In our review of (the sergeants) work, we did the same and confirmed there were no apparent racial disparities reflected in Officer Smylys number of stops, duration of stops, types of stops, reasons for stops, results of stops, use of (body-worn camera) during stops, or searches of people he stopped.. The encounter led to allegations of racial profiling and police misconduct. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. All of the additional officers responding reported that they believed this to be a serious situation because of what they knew from the radio traffic, the report states. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. Officer Smyly too had been polite. For more information, please see our When Smyly asked for more information, Atkinson refused and walked away. Why would you think that you could tase me? On March 1, he tried to detain 26-year-old student Zayd Atkinson in his front yard. Nonetheless, Boulder established a new citizen oversight group and hired a moderator to serve as a liaison between the panel and the police department in matters of complaints. "Shouldn't that be enough for you?". "Mr. Atkinson and the . Additionally, the City arranged for the departure of the officer. However, none of the officers explained why they wanted him to sit down. <p>In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd . Lawrence, in a prepared statements. Friday, March 13, 2020 (Updated Monday, March 16) The city of Boulder is offering a $125,000 settlement to Zayd Atkinson, the black Naropa student who was confronted by armed police officers last year while picking up trash outside his home. Fax: 303-578-4401. Mar. Boulder is set to issue a $125,000 settlement payment to Zayd Atkinson, the black Naropa University student who was confronted by a now-former city police officer last year while picking up trash outside his school housing unit. Smyly said he was concerned Atkinson might have been trespassing. Denver, Colorado 80205 Help make the Beat better. Lawrence's arrest came later and with less fanfare. A Naropa employee eventually arrived on scene and verified Atkinsons identity, and Atkinson was released with no charges. During the 16-minute standoff, multiple officers politely and calmly asked Mr. Atkinson to drop the trash grabber and sit down so they could talk, the report read. "It was a frightening experience. The police officer who pulled a gun on a man picking up trash outside his own home in Boulder, Colorado, has resigned, city officials said Thursday . By Ben Kesslen. The citysettled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun.. Officers in the two cases resigned from Boulder Police Department. We hope this settlement will prompt introspection from City officials, whoselofty rhetoric around policing has lagged far behind the reality of Boulders pattern of abusivepolice conduct.. April 15, 2022, 9:13am. Required fields are marked *. There are still liberal snowflakes trying to stir up indignation over the overblown drama of the Zayd Atkinson incident. Other officers arrived on scene and a standoff ensued. but it can also be stressful. I'm freaking picking up trash on my property which is where I live. New video shows moment Boulder officer pulled gun on black man picking up trash in own yard. (Jeremy Papasso/Staff photographer) The city settled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. During his interview, the subject officer stated that at this point, he was unaware of Mr. Atkinsons race, because he had only seen him from a distance and approached him from behind, the incident summary states. He asked Smyly if he would fire the weapon if he didnt put the trash grabber down. The training of the additional officers who arrived on scene contributed to the resolution of this incident without further escalation or injury. They are precious, and they are very hard to repair once broken. Covering City Council and Sundry, with flair, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022 (Updated Tuesday, Jan. 4). City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non . Following the March 1 episode with Naropa student Zayd Atkinson, also described in the complaint, Lolotai was caught on video again during the April 5 arrest of Sammie Lawrence, who tried to . . Atkinson threatened to sue . Zayd gave his name and confirmed that he lived at the location. On March 1 Smyly stopped Atkinson while he was picking up trash next to the building he lives in using a pole and asked him numerous questions. Zayd Atkinson, an African American student at Naropa University, was picking up garbage on his own property when he was swarmed by gun-wielding police officers harassing and threatening him. 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. If it aint broke, dont fix it, the report read. The report notes Boulder police Chief Greg Testa got the first complaint about the incident on March 3 from Atkinsons mother, and referred the matter to internal affairs on March 4. Those are the statistics that bear on the Zayd Atkinson drama, in which no shots were fired, no Taser was deployed, no pepper spray was used, no tickets were issued, and no arrest was made. "You're an idiot. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Your email address will not be published. Those are the statistics that bear on the Zayd Atkinson drama, in which no shots were fired, no Taser was deployed, no pepper spray was used, no tickets were issued, and no arrest was made. 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. Mr. A Boulder police officer has resigned following a confrontation with a black college student who was picking up trash in his yard. Based on the history of race relations and law enforcement in the United States, and the particular circumstances of the encounter, Mr. Atkinsons anger was justified. Im sorry for what you went through, said councilwoman Nicole Speer. The process and its application in this particular case strongly indicate that internal affairs at BPD aint broke. ", "I thought that once the firearm was out that that meant that he was going to try to kill me," Atkinson told "Good Morning America" in an interview airing Friday. "Well I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all-white town," Atkinson said later. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more . 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. At one point the officer says, "you're probably going to get tased.". The former Boulder police officer who resigned after pointing a gun at a Black Naropa student has agreed to leave his temporary civilian position with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office after complaints from the Boulder County NAACP chapter.. John Smyly was found in violation of department policies and resigned in May 2019 after an internal investigation into Smyly's encounter with Zayd . RO=Responsible Officer, Rep=Representative. Outside review validated BPDs procedures. Scroll down for video Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash. They unanimously approved the payout Tuesday. The City of Boulder released a statement Thursday saying, "while the finding likely would have resulted in suspension or possibly termination, Officer Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process. The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. Telephone: 303-578-4400 Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Independent review backs Boulder police findings, process in Zayd Atkinson case, Applications being accepted for vacancy created by Boulder County judges death, Defendant in Boulder peeping incidents pleads guilty, Police investigate another phone threat to Boulder High, Operation Wrecking Ball: Six men indicted by grand jury for stealing construction equipment, Brought to you by Prairie Mountain Publishing, Boulder police investigating overnight shooting, suspect still at large, Years later, Boulder officials look for compromise as affordable housing promise at former Fruehaufs site still unfulfilled, Colorado grocery stores can begin selling wine on Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The officer eventually pulled out his gun and called for backup. Mitchell Byars has been reporting for the Daily Camera since 2011, covering breaking news and courts. "I'm just checking to make sure that you have a right to be here, that's all. That lack of explanation solidified Mr. Atkinsons perception that he was not being treated honestly and fairly, which increased his agitation and heightened his berating of the officers.. Finally, police confirm his story by asking someone else if he does, in fact, live there. Atkinson." "I was not going to just fall in line again and just be a dog," Atkinson told CBS4 on Thursday. An internal affairs investigation found the officer "did not have probable cause to charge Atkinson with any crime" and "should have ended his contact" as soon as Atkinson gave him his name and . "Not only that you know I'm a black man, I have dreads. The (Professional Standards Unit) sergeant hand-searched each of Officer Smylys stops and looked for any disparities based on the race of the individual contacted, the report read. ", 2 teen girls arrested in SF scooter attack, police say, Doctor urges that heart health be a year-round priority, Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid pressure to slash costs. But sometimes there's just no excuse for police behavior. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Boulder Beat. Atkinson was holding a bucket and a metal trash picker in front of his residence on March 1, when a Boulder police officer confronted him and asked him if he was permitted to be there. "But I'm not surprised that this happened to me and I won't be surprised if it happens again tomorrow, or the next day, until we do something about it," he added. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News . Email your thoughts to boulderbeatnews@gmail.com, Police arrests Boulder Boulder Police Department city council city of Boulder cops lawsuit officers police reform Sammie Lawrence settlement use of force Waylon Lolotai Zayd Atkinson. At the time I had a beard and I was wearing raggedy clothes.". I didnt know what else to do besides, you know, to fight with my voice and to practice my rights, which were thoroughly being breached., The city of Boulder stated, that while the finding likely would have resulted in suspension or possibly termination, Officer Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process., John Smylys resignation agreement with the city was negotiated by City Attorney Tom Carr, who explained that the resignation immediately removes Officer Smyly from law enforcement and prevents his reinstatement to the Boulder Police Department., Get the top DEI news delivered straight to your inbox, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 23, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 17, Race, Homelessness and the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility, How Companies Are Celebrating Black History Month, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 9. -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived on scene contributed to the police report Smyly. 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