Scroll down for video The settlement has been reported to be a sum of $125,000. The footage shows Smyly investigating Atkinson for trespassing. The police internal investigation concluded Smyly violated department policy during the encounter with Atkinson, and the independent report backed those conclusions, saying Smyly made some pivotal mistakes including asking for Atkinsons date of birth when he was not entitled to that information and mistakenly believing he had reasonable suspicion that a crime was occurring. Atkinson." Lolotais departure was unrelated to that investigation or the many excessive force allegations that plagued him every since his time at the Denver Sheriffs Department. All Rights Reserved. According to city records included in Lawrences lawsuit, Lolotai used force on residents 81 times between January 2017 and June 2020, including using his firearm to gain compliance 38 times. "It was a frightening experience. The body camera videos, the police reports . Additionally, the City arranged for the departure of the officer. The other officers were cleared of wrongdoing, with the report noting that none of them pointed any weapons at Atkinson. The city settled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. Up to this point, Mr. Atkinson had been polite but surprised by Officer Smylys presence, the independent report read. Atkinson was allegedly racially profiled by a Boulder Police officer for picking up trash on his own property. 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 sorry for what you went through, said councilwoman Nicole Speer. Lawrence, in a prepared statements. 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. ABC News' Nicholas Coulson and Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report. 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. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. ", "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. The investigation found officer John Smyly violated two department policies and determined: 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. When demonstrators took to the . By Ben Kesslen. 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. 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. Following the incident, the City of Boulder promptly took steps to address the communitys concerns, including publicly apologizing to Mr. Atkinson, and holding a community listening session. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7, a black man confronted by a Boulder police officer. 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 The Boulder Police Department concluded an internal investigation on the March 1 incident when officers, two of them with guns drawn, confronted Zayd Atkinson.. Atkinson. As a result of the listening session, the City established a civilian police oversight task force that made recommendations which resulted in the adoption of an ordinance establishing a new civilian police oversight model. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Once the additional officers who arrived assessed the situation, they used appropriate de-escalation techniques and left. "I was not going to just fall in line again and just be a dog," Atkinson told CBS4 on Thursday. That's when the tense 22-minute stand-off ends. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. The subject officer then activated his body camera and decided to self-initiate contact with Mr. Atkinson to determine what he was doing and if he lived or worked there. The incident began on March 1 when Boulder Police officer John Smyly approached Zayd Atkinson as he cleaned up trash outside his townhouse complex. Help make the Beat better. Smyly also threatened to use his stun gun on Atkinson because he "had a weapon," referring to Atkinson's pole. Under a settlement with the city, Smyly will remain on Boulders payroll until February 2020. Denver, Colorado 80205 "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. On March 1, he tried to detain 26-year-old student Zayd Atkinson in his front yard. Other officers arrived on scene and a standoff ensued. Was there a perspective we missed, or facts we didnt consider? "I need to verify who you are," Smyly says. Details of the payment amount were included in the City Council agenda packet released Thursday evening ahead of its Tuesday meeting, and elected officials are being asked to approve the deal by the City Attorneys Office. 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. For more information, please see our 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. The first, in which Naropa student Zayd Atkinson was confronted by armed officers while picking up trash outside his home, drew national media attention and sparked local protests. Zayd Atkinson is a Black university student who was asked for identification by police to prove that he lived at his home while taking out his own trash. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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 . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. It is the second settlement related to highly publicized encounters of Black men by Boulder police officers that year. They are precious, and they are very hard to repair once broken. Your email address will not be published. I thoroughly believe I was profiled," Atkinson said. ", A police internal affairs report obtained by ABC News shows Smyly's decision to attempt to detain Atkinson "was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, had committed, or was about to commit a crime. It has historically had problems with minority communities," Rathod said. Smyly resigned after the investigation found him in violation of department policy, but the department did not find any evidence his interaction with Atkinson was a result of racial profiling. (credit: CBS) [ Pasco County Sheriff's Office ] Nedra Miller . "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson speaks about being racially profiled by a Boulder Police officer for picking up trash with a wand on his own property. 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. RO=Responsible Officer, Rep=Representative. Fax: 303-578-4401. A white Colorado police officer who pulled out his gun during a confrontation with a black man picking up trash around his dormitory resigned this week. Was there a perspective we missed, or facts we didnt consider? 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. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non . May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. Atkinson repeats he's provided his identification but Smyly wants more proof. 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. An attorney for Atkinson called the agreement with the city of Boulder "ridiculous." "Boulder is essentially saying we're going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayd's life . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "Boulder is essentially saying we're going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayd's life, for racially profiling Zayd," said Atkinson's attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. Your email address will not be published. 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. First published on May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM. 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. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting , the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda. They said they didn't find any evidence of racial profiling. Mar. "There is a problem with law enforcement's interaction with minority communities.". City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda. Here, the PSU sergeant and command staff did not succumb to it.. 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.. Reporting Officer: SMYLY, J. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash. 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. Atkinson showed a Naropa ID but at one point refused to comply with the officer's orders anymore and began picking up trash once more. The City of Boulder approved a $125,000 payment to Atkinson in 2020. . Or mail cash/check/precious gemstones toP.O. 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. 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 address. 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. Hundreds of people marched Sunday to the Boulder Police Department, passing near the site where an officer detained 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson on March 1. A Naropa employee eventually arrived on scene and verified Atkinsons identity, and Atkinson was released with no charges. ", "I just told you I lived here and I told you that I'm working as well," 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson responded. Troyer also is investigating a separate incident in which a police officer arrested a black man with a cane who was filming officers interacting with homeless people. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. and his friend also told officers Atkinson was a . Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. Zayd Atkinson, the Naropa University student who was detained on his front doorstep . Video and reports of the incident, during which Atkinson was repeatedly asked for identification showing he lived at the property he was cleaning, made local and national headlines and led to the city revamping public oversight of Boulder Police Department. If it were not for that cellphone footage, would there have been an internal investigation? The city added that Smyly resigned . 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.. Atkinson said he's trying to work through the painful incident and wants to meet with city officials to start a dialogue about their policies and officer training. Meanwhile, Zayd said talk is cheap. 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. The body camera videos, the police reports . Fax: 303-578-4401. 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. 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 . "I'm just checking to make sure that you have a right to be here, that's all. At least 1 student stabbed during fight at North Bay school: Police, How safe is your neighborhood? I'm blessed that I got out alive and unharmed," he said. Privacy Policy. However, the internal affairs investigation included a review of a video from a building-mounted camera, which revealed Atkinson was eating food and using his mobile phone. Boulder has agreed to pay $95,000 to Sammie Lawrence, a Black man arrested in 2019 while filming a police interaction with unhoused individuals. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo.
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