We do urge caution as this video could trigger some. 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. Boulder officials conducted an investigation of the March incident of officer John Smyly confronting Zayd Atkinson outside his home. D.L. After about eight minutes, more officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in . Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the buildings rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. Recordings emerged of Greene referring to deputies in his department as "Black bastards" and "snakes.". On Thursday, the city announced the conclusion of an internal investigation, saying it found Smyly violated two department policies could not substantiate claims of racial bias. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Mr Atkinson told local broadcaster CBS4 Denver he was glad Officer Smyly was "being held accountable for something but it seems like it's just bare minimum things". 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. Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. But none of those officers, including Smyly, pointed their weapons at Atkinson, the report found. The confrontation between Smyly and Atkinsonsparked massive backlash in the community. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. A video showing part of the scene went viral on the Internet, sparking outrage in the progressive Colorado city. DENVER (AP) 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 under an agreement that lets him collect $69,000 in salary despite violating department policies. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. 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. 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. One of the officers involved in the latter scenario, John Smyly, resigned from the BPD earlier this month. John Smiley was a Pitcher. Boulder Is the Happiest City in the U.S. For Some, Marshall Fire Devastates CU Boulder Community. Initially freelancing at iOne Digital in 2010, he officially joined the iOne team in 2017 where he currently works as a Senior Editor for Cassius Life and Hip-Hop Wired. The officer, John Smyly, was identified Thursday as the 14-year department veteran seen in a 16-minute video posted to YouTube after confronting Zayd Atkinson outside a Naropa University dorm in . DENVER >> 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 under an agreement that lets him . He is likely employed at a different police department at this time. Call and let them know that by hiring officers who have a history of racial profiling, they are contributing to the racist culture of policing. Officer John Smyly was allowed to resign. Smyly reportedly asked Atkinson if he was permitted to be at the location. 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. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. He said Boulder either lacks the ability or will to root out racism from this police department. It was a frightening experience. Supervised 25 different police officer trainees, evaluating job performance and developing training plans to encourage professional growth and improve deficiencies. October 1, 2020. Youre probably going to get tased in a second, because you have a weapon, Smyly told Atkinson before brandishing his handgun. Atkinson then started to walk away and continue picking up trash after Smyly asked for his address and date of birth, leading Smyly to radio for help. PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. I have practiced law for over 28 years, 14 of those years as a federal prosecutor and . Colorado police officer John Smyly who pulled his gun on Zayd Atkinson, a student at Naropa University picking up trash in front of his apartment building, has resigned. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Youre gonna shoot a resident on his property for picking up trash?, Smyly drew his gun when the two men reached the back of the building, an investigative summary said. "That means you can do whatever you want and break the law and get away with it.". The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Advertisement. 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. He said he has had trouble sleeping and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him. Famous Women Caught With Busted Up Feet [Photos], LL Cool J Explains The Meaning Of Pink Cookies In A Plastic Bag On Drink Champs, Toxic Avengers: Blueface Leaks Alleged Texts From Lil Baby To Chrisean Rock, 15 Music Stars Who Had Disturbing Relationships With Their Entourages [Photos], Twitter Reacts To Will Smith Joking About Chris Rock Slap In New Tik Tok Video, Brandon Smiley Laid To Rest Over The Weekend, Rickey Smiley Shares Photos & Videos, BET Uncut Is Not Coming Back; Here's Its 15 Wildest Videos Anyway, Finger Struggle: Celebrities With Crazy Looking Hands [Photos]. is a native Washingtonian and resides in the Greater Washington area. He resigned before a disciplinary process commenced. DENVER (AP) 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 under an agreement that lets him collect $69,000 in salary despite violating department policies. 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. 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. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. The independent review, conducted by former U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, Bob Troyer, will soon be released by the city. The city offered to settle with Atkinson for $125,000. He will be on the city payroll until February 2020. Smyly approached Atkinson on March 1 in front of the condo-style building, where he was using a metal tool with a claw at its base to put trash into a bucket, according to the new footage. Smyly resigned on May 15, before the conclusion of the disciplinary process. Kazeem Oyeneyin answers the door at his home in Raleigh, N.C., on Aug. 17. Atkinson refused then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. 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. Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Body camera footage released Thursday provided a full video account of the tense encounter, which gained national attention based on video shot by someone inside the building. Atkinson also told ABC Newss Good Morning America in April that hes been struggling with stress and trauma since the encounter. /9YmNx7|:900w40e =:(xe:`L01[ J @45aG1V !@ %ISB&=@I!IB=@w30=s 0 He currently heads the SPIRIT.ED column for Cassius Life, which focuses on adult beverages and their history. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when there was no Google in Boulder. Associated Press / May 17, 2019. We would immediately lose our jobs.. City Attorney Tom Carr said the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the department. "I don't have a weapon! The officer, John Smyly, was identified Thursday as the 14-year department veteran seen in a 16-minute video posted to YouTube after confronting Zayd Atkinson outside a Naropa University dorm in Boulder on March 1, the Boulder Daily Camera reports. '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'); 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. His first big break in journalism came with the now-defunct Politically Black in 1999, the nation's first Black political news portal. 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, 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. Cellphone footage shot by a neighbor showed Smyly holding his firearm amid the confrontation. %PDF-1.6 % 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. TwoFeather. "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. Atkinson echoed Rathod's remarks in an interview with Denver7. It feels like they are jumping on this train with me after watching the film and hearing the stories.. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. 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. IE 11 is not supported. Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on that day, Officer John Smyly spotted Atkinson sitting in a partially enclosed patio area directly behind a "Private Property" sign and spoke to him to find out if he . Officer Smyly got his attention and asked him to stop. This is a clamp.. According to the new video footage, Smyly approached Atkinson on March 1 in front of the condo-style building, where he was using a metal tool with a claw at its base to put trash into a bucket. Department rule 8 (Conduct): Members use reasonable judgment and refrain from conduct which reflects unfavorably on the department. 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. Atkinson said he did, and Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Alumni Association The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. 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. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. Watch: Police confront black man in his own yard. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. 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. }, 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. 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 Associated Press reports he will earn benefits and a salary during this time and will be compensated for any unused holiday he accrues. 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. 1202 University Avenue, 459 UCB 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. 418 0 obj <>stream KQ)csp W,M=--I3&\(4lPb&[ "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. 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. But the movie goes much deeper than this moment, exploring how Boulders earliest history made it nearly impossible for people of color to succeed in the idyllic city in the shadow of the Flatirons. Watch live: White House monkeypox response team holds briefing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. 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. A police internal affairs report said that Smylys choice to detain Atkinson was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, had committed, or was about to commit a crime.. endstream endobj startxref CU ecologists are tracking down the surviving trees of the Front Ranges all but vanished apple orchards and priming a renewal. When Zayde continues to refuse to be John Smyly's b****, Smyly brandished a fire arm to try to further intimidate his victim into compliance. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! Now, the creators are fielding requests to screen the film in Boulder and beyond; theyre also creating accompanying study guides to help people understand and discuss the themes depicted in the film. 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 settlement allowed the city to provide the community information more quickly, and it transitioned Officer Smyly out of a law enforcement career, he said. As part of an agreement, hell remain an employee through February and earn roughly $69,000 in salary for unused holiday and sick time, officials said. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. All Rights Reserved. Maybe he got a suspicious call or saw something but things escalated. A white Colorado police officer caught on video pulling a gun on a black man who was picking up trash outside his home has resigned, officials said Thursday. He is not allowed to be reinstated to the Boulder Police Department. Im picking up trash! Smyly next asked for Atkinsons date of birth. Im not tryi. 400 0 obj <> endobj On body-camera footage the city released Thursday, Atkinson can be heard saying, Im a student, I live here Im doing my job.. The Boulder City Council has also created a task force to study police oversight. 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 . 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.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.Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. We would immediately lose our jobs.". Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March 2019. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, The Associated Press reports he will earn benefits and a salary during this time, The officer "did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson", the department wrote in their report, US police accused of beating black officer, Bank calls police over black man's cheque, Mr Atkinson told local broadcaster CBS4 Denver, The student's lawyer, Siddhartha Rathod, told local newspaper the Denver Post that he was disappointed Mr Smyly had not been fired, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Explosive found in check-in luggage at US airport, Fungus case forces Jack Daniels to halt construction, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, Dozens of girls treated after new Iran poisonings, Havana Syndrome unlikely to have hostile cause - US. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Drought, dry grass and gusting winds lead to wildfire. 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