On body-camera footage the city released Thursday, Atkinson can be heard saying, Im a student, I live here Im doing my job.. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! Smyly was conducting extra patrols due to recent crime in the area when he encountered Atkinson with an unknown object in his left hand, according to a summary of the probe released by Boulder police Chief Greg Testa. Atkinson said he did, and Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!. Mr. Atkinson turned, took out his ear buds, and asked what was going on. 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. 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. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. 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.. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. This is a clamp!" 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. 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. Zayd Atkinson, a student at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, was picking up garbage outside of his residence when officer John Smyly approached. Boulder PD releases body camera footage, reports. This is a bucket. 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. 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. The independent review, conducted by former U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, Bob Troyer, will soon be released by the city. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. 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. However, Smyly resigned before the investigation concluded. Officer Smyly . He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. Maybe he got a suspicious call or saw something but things escalated. 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. What position did John Smiley play? PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. 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. The findings likely would have resulted in suspension or possible termination, according to the department. "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. 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. A big reason why I got into film and video is because of the storytelling aspect, said Miller. 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. A Colorado police officer, John Smyly resigned after an incident he had with a local resident where he approached this black man who was picking up trash around the residency he lived at. 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. . Atkinson responded by showing the officer his school identification card and telling him that he lived there. 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. Authorities also released body camera footage from officers at the scene. 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. A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. Atkinson then raised his voice, causing the officer to become threatened by the trash grabber, according to the report. Follow @dlchandler123 They left after determining that Atkinson had a right to be on the property. 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. The confrontation between Smyly and Atkinsonsparked massive backlash in the community. 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". "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. 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. A documentary at this year's Denver Film Festival is challenging the City of Boulder's inclusive reputation. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . WEST POINT, N.Y. Army head coach Jeff Monken is giving a history lesson. endstream
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<. May 16, 2019, 9:54 PM. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. A white Colorado police officer has resigned after being caught on video drawing his gun on a black man who said he was picking up trash at his property. This is a clamp.. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. Atkinson, who is black and said after the incident that he felt he was racially profiled, showed Smyly, who is white, his student identification card, but the officer said he needed needed further proof. 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. Officer Smyly got his attention and asked him to stop. 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. Colorado police confront man picking up trash on his lawn. Atkinsons attorney, meanwhile, said he was upset that Smyly is allowed to stay on the citys payroll for more than eight months. Facebook gives people the power to share. Smyly attempted to detain Atkinson, a student at Naropa University in Boulder, asking him to prove he lived on the property. 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. 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. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. 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. Officer John Smyly. Smyly, who had been on paid leave since the tense encounter, was found in violation of two department policies but resigned his post before the end of the citys disciplinary process. 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. A white Colorado police officer who confronted a black man picking . Alumni Association Youre on my property with a gun in your hand, threatening to shoot me because Im picking up trash, Atkinson said. He will, however, remain an employee through February . Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. 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 . 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 400 0 obj
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Atkinson also told ABC Newss Good Morning America in April that hes been struggling with stress and trauma since the encounter. 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. 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. Join Facebook to connect with John Smyly and others you may know. The city of Bouldersaid in a statement Thursday that officer John Smyly violated multiple department policies when heconfrontedZayd Atkinson, 26, in March. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with . Smyly asked for Atkinsons date of birth. 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. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smy. 2023 BBC. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! On Thursday morning, the city of Boulder announced the investigation had closed and the officer, who had already resigned, had not racially profiled the man. 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. Smyly is a 14-year department veteran was found in violation of two department policies. 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. 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. KATHLEEN FOODY. 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. Judge says Starbucks committed egregious and widespread labor violations Zero-calorie sweetener popular in keto diets linked to strokes, heart attacks, Trumps polling strength causes heartburn for Senate GOP, Senate group wades into tough talks on Social Security, China, Belarus call for cease-fire, negotiations in Ukraine. 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. 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. Film is the tool you can use to help other people say what they need to say, said Strong. Details of the payment amount were included in the City Council agenda packet released Thursday evening ahead of its . "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. When demonstrators took to the streets to show support for Atkinson and protest racism, the filmmakers grabbed their cameras and got to work. We would immediately lose our jobs.. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! Officer Smyly drew his gun and called in backup during the confrontation in March. Advertisement. D.L. /9YmNx7|:900w40e =:(xe:`L01[ J @45aG1V !@ %ISB&=@I!IB=@w30=s
Kazeem Oyeneyin answers the door at his home in Raleigh, N.C., on Aug. 17. It feels like they are jumping on this train with me after watching the film and hearing the stories.. The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . 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. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter.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. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in . Boulder Police Officer John Smyly quit . He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. The city offered to settle with Atkinson for $125,000. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Authorities have completed the investigation into a Boulder police officer who tried to detain a black man cleaning trash around his home, and the police department has released all related body camera footage and reports. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. "If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Im picking up trash! More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. 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 . 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. Officer John Smyly was allowed to resign. 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. "I don't have a weapon. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. The exchange between Officer Smyly and Mr. Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the Boulder Police Department nor the community Boulder desires to be, City Attorney Tom Carr said in a statement. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. The student's lawyer, Siddhartha Rathod, told local newspaper the Denver Post that he was disappointed Mr Smyly had not been fired and would still be paid. The film "This Is Not Who We Are" includes the testimonials of several black Boulder . 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. Learn more about John S.'s . He currently heads the SPIRIT.ED column for Cassius Life, which focuses on adult beverages and their history. Smyly was allowed to resign, and is likely working for another department at this time. 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. Atkinson can be seen holding a bucket and a metal trash grabber. 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 officer "did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson", the department wrote in their report. Boulder officials conducted an investigation of the March incident of officer John Smyly confronting Zayd Atkinson outside his home. 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.. 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 . Stop!. Smyly, a 14-year vet with no history of . The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. While we have no proof racial bias was a motivating factor, the internal affairs investigation resulted in sustained violations of police policies.. 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. We have concluded this hire was not helpful to our equity work, and I wish . The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. But none of those officers, including Smyly, pointed their weapons at Atkinson, the report found. May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. Oyeneyin was handcuffed and detained in his own home after police responded to a burglar alarm in process. Watch: Police confront black man in his own yard. 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. (Facebook . John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. 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. 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. Atkinson and BPD patrol officer John Smyly (and, subsequently, other responding officers) ("the Incident"). Packet released Thursday evening ahead of its no reason other than to assert dominance over.. When a white police officer in when he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, Smyly. Said Miller demonstrators took to the streets to show support for Atkinson and protest racism the! Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and asked what was on... Possible termination, according to the report officer john smyly apology officers at the scene resigned before city. 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