The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. * "Give him his ID back and we're outta here," one of the officers is heard saying. Mr. In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more welcoming, and respectful place for all. The City of Boulder, CO and Zayd Atkinson, a black Naropa college student has agreed to settle any civil claims regarding an incident involving the Boulder Police Department. "Boulder police began looking into the incident on Friday and early this morning launched an official internal affairs investigation.". Smyly drew his stun gun and then his handgun as he felt threatened by the trash grabber Atkinson was using. 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. 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.. 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. Smyly resigned under an agreement that allows him to collect $69,000 in salary. Original Post: . Backup officers who were called to the scene and led by a sergeant quickly determined that Mr. Atkinson lived in the building and was engaged in his work study job. 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"There are instances like this where people don't come out alive. "Well I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all-white town," Atkinson said later. 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. 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. 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. That identification card, the same size as a driver's license or credit card, displayed Mr. Atkinson's name and photo. Zayd Atkinson, 26, told ABC News he's still fighting to overcome the "traumatic experience" of being racially profiled by Colorado police officers. RO=Responsible Officer, Rep=Representative. "Shouldn't that be enough for you?". 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. Atkinson was allegedly racially profiled by a Boulder Police officer for picking up trash on his own property. 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. They said they didn't find any evidence of racial profiling. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. The process and its application in this particular case strongly indicate that internal affairs at BPD aint broke. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo . This settlement affords some measure of justice to Sammie Lawrence, said Dan Williams of Hutchinson Black and Cook, LLC, co-counsel for The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. 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. Video of the . Lawrences arrest came later and with less fanfare. HuffPost reports that Officer John Smyly violated two department policies when confronted Zayd Atkinson, including public trust and conduct. This news doesnt write itself. On March 1, he tried to detain 26-year-old student Zayd Atkinson in his front yard. It stated that he is a student at Naropa University. 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. 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. 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. Internal Affairs Investigation Case Number: IA2019-001. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. "I was suffering with a lot of anxiety, a lot of depression. I thoroughly believe I was profiled," Atkinson said. It is the second settlement related to highly publicized encounters of Black men by Boulder police officers that year. Atkinson told the officer that he lived in the building and showed him his school identification card. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Throw me some cash if you've got it so I can keep you informed. 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. Mr. Atkinson raised his voice and yelled., Smyly said he felt threatened by the trash grabber. He drew his Taser and later transitioned to his handgun, both weapons were pointed in a downward direction in front of the officer., The subject officer said that he did not believe that the Taser would be effective, because Mr. Atkinson was wearing a heavy coat, the summary states. 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 . The footage shows Smyly investigating Atkinson for trespassing. Zayd is an actor, who was emboldened to behave as he did precisely because he knew nothing bad would happen, and hundreds of Boulder liberals would hail him as a hero. The subject officer notified dispatch and initiated what he described as a consensual contact.. The incident began on March 1 when Boulder Police officer John Smyly approached Zayd Atkinson as he cleaned up trash outside his townhouse complex. Box 21315 Boulder, CO 80301. The city is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more welcoming, and respectful place for all.. Hogwash! Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. Mr. Atkinson and the City are settling any potential claims arising from this interaction so that the parties may focus on the continued healing of both the community and Mr. Atkinson. 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. Click here to read this article in its entirety at www.bouldercolorado.com, Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC According to Boulder Police Department, the officer approached Zayd Atkinson around 8:30 a.m. because he was in an area behind a 'Private Property" sign. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. By Ben Kesslen. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash. The statement did not release any terms of the settlement. 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. The City of Boulder approved a $125,000 payment to Atkinson in 2020. . A cellphone video shot by a neighbor that went viral in March showed Smyly holding his weapon amid the confrontation. The city settled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. I didn't know what else to do besides, you know, to fight with my voice and to practice my rights, which were thoroughly being breached.". 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. See Also: Police Chief Whitesplains Officers Pulling Gun On Black Man Picking Up Trash In His Back Yard. He called the incident a reflection of a larger racial problem within Boulder, which is about 81 percent white and less than 2 percent black, according to census data. The city of Boulder said theres no evidence to support a claim of racial profiling, but the incident makes one question why Smyly felt the need to even approach Atkinson? 0:24 - Zayd A. But sometimes there's just no excuse for police behavior. 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. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. The community member is being identified as he was previously publicly identified. "It was a frightening experience. April 5, 2019. Hogwash! 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. "I was not going to just fall in line again and just be a dog," Atkinson told CBS4 on Thursday. The report also lauded the internal affairs sergeant for thoroughness, including checking Smylys stop data. "Officers ultimately determined that the man had a legal right to be on the property and returned the mans school identification card," the department said in a statement last month. "There is a problem with law enforcement's interaction with minority communities.". Smyly, a 14-year veteran of the department, resigned from active duty on May 16. Although Zayd is a little-known and marginal figure in the standard account of the rise of Islam, he was originally a key figure in the Islamic foundation narrative, according to David S. Powers, professor of Near . Outside review validated BPDs procedures. The report released with the body camera footage noted the officer did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson, or probable cause to . The other officers were cleared of wrongdoing, with the report noting that none of them pointed any weapons at Atkinson. 7On a seemingly normal morning in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his . Will Denver voters elect a mayor who will stop enabling homelessness. The officer who confronted Atkinson resigned from the Boulder Police Department, and the Department enhanced oversight . The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. All Rights Reserved. I'm blessed that I got out alive and unharmed," he said. In a viral video, Atkinson was confronted by a police officer while he was picking up trash outside of his . "He's at home being paid for racially profiling Zayd for illegally stopping him and for threatening his life.". "This is an all-white community that has historically treated minority communities differently. The body camera videos, the police reports . In response, Mr. Atkinson handed Officer Smyly his student identification card. Telephone: 303-578-4400 The officer requested backup and followed him, ordering him to sit down. 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. 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. Examined. 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. ", 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. In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: On March 1, Officer Smyly approached Zayd Atkinson, 26, at his residence to investigate a possible trespass. April 15, 2022, 9:13am. Executive Summary. ), Want more stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox? This is incredibly frustrating to watch. 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. But Troyers report went on to recommend that Boulder not make any changes to its process. Two elected officials did direct comments to Lawrence. Boulder has agreed to pay $95,000 to Sammie Lawrence, a Black man arrested in 2019 while filming a police interaction with unhoused individuals. "It definitely brings fear to my heart knowing that some people don't survive. "Not only that you know I'm a black man, I have dreads. While no one was arrested, the police department launched an internal affairs investigation, and the city hired an outside investigator to review the incident.. Boulder and Zayd Atkinson, a black Naropa student who was confronted by a police officer while picking up trash outside his apartment, have agreed to settle any civil claims involving the incident. It is city policy that settlements involving payments exceeding $10,000 require Council approval. The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more . In addition to increased oversight, BPD revamped its use of force policies in August 2020. and our Meanwhile, Zayd said talk is cheap. More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); True life tales of a homeless man in Boulder, CO. "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." Your email address will not be published. This wasn't enough for Officer Smyly. The encounter led to allegations of racial profiling and police misconduct. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . The Boulder Police Department concluded an internal investigation on the March 1 incident when officers, two of them with guns drawn, confronted Zayd Atkinson.. I'm not doing anything illegal, and you're not going to f------ tase me," Atkinson said in the video. 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. ABC News' Nicholas Coulson and Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report. Boulder police said there is no evidence Atkinson was racially profiled. Atkinson repeats he's provided his identification but Smyly wants more proof. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. The officers arrived and later left after they determined Atkinson had the right to be there. Click here to sign up for a weekly newsletter, from Boulder Beat. . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "You're an idiot. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. In their report, released today, the investigators backed the findings of the Boulder Police Department internal affairs investigation into Officer John Smyly and his interaction on March 1 with Naropa student Zayd Atkinson. 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 Smyly called in for a cover car and told Atkinson he was obstructing a police officer and was detaining him and investigating him for trespass. 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 . The independent report also echoed the Boulder police report conclusion that there was no evidence of racial bias on the part of Smyly. 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. While the report recommended Boulder not change its internal investigation process, it did strongly recommend the police department create an official staff position to support the Professional Standards Unit sergeant. 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. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. If it aint broke, dont fix it, the report read. It was a frightening experience. Boulder settlement with Zayd Atkinson to, 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), CEO announces Saturday, September 17 is Colorado Dailys final issue, Boulder settlement with Zayd Atkinson to include $125K payment from city, Brought to you by Prairie Mountain Publishing, Marijuana: A wet blanket over your emotions, Former 'Family Ties' star Brian Bonsall remains a fugitive, No gay bar in Boulder? Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Smyly asked Atkinson if he was permitted to be in the location. At one point, Atkinson said he turned his back and walked around to the back of the building as the officer followed him with a Taser in his hand, he said. 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. 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