Box 21315 Boulder, CO 80301. 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. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. The statement did not release any terms of the settlement. He was charged with obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest. The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . [ Pasco County Sheriff's Office ] Nedra Miller . Meanwhile, Zayd said talk is cheap. Once the additional officers who arrived assessed the situation, they used appropriate de-escalation techniques and left. University of Colorado Boulder Officer Drew Matthews (image via department) Under the anonymity of the internet, a University of Colorado Boulder police officer trolled . The Moving can be an exciting experience. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. and his friend also told officers Atkinson was a . SFC licensees. We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. The other officers were cleared of wrongdoing, with the report noting that none of them pointed any weapons at Atkinson. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. When Smyly asked for more information, Atkinson refused and walked away. PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. A Boulder police officer approached Atkinson on foot, asking him what he was doing . 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. He found none. The investigation was conducted by former U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer along with Michael Rankin and Robert Evans, both of Bluestone Investigative and Risk Solutions. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. Email your thoughts to, established a new citizen oversight group. Scroll down for video "He's at home being paid for racially profiling Zayd for illegally stopping him and for threatening his life.". Boulder Police Department. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. "Not only that you know I'm a black man, I have dreads. 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. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash. This wasn't enough for Officer Smyly. 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. Two elected officials did direct comments to Lawrence. But Smyly kept insisting Atkinson tell him his unit number, wanting further proof that he lived there. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. "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." 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. 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. ), Want more stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox? Officer John Smyly was among the Boulder Police Department members who rousted Naropa student Zayd Atkinson for picking up trash at his own home in March 2019. It has historically had problems with minority communities," Rathod said. Though the (Professional Standards Unit) only investigates about three Class 1 cases a year, those cases will be handled under much less stress, and the risk of error due to time pressure and workload will be reduced, if trained support staff is ready when needed.. Help make the Beat better. The situation -- which was captured on video -- drew criticism for what student Zayd Atkinson said was an instance of racial profiling. 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. April 15, 2022, 9:13am. Finally, police confirm his story by asking someone else if he does, in fact, live there. 7On a seemingly normal morning in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his . While the stop itself was wrong, some things were done right during the encounter itself. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. Atkinson." Zayd Atkinson a university student of Naropa was held at gunpoint by 6-7 Caucasian Police Officers for simply picking up trash on his property. 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 officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. The Boulder Police Department said it placed the first officer on administrative leave while it investigated the incident. "I couldn't help but notice you sitting on the patio out there," officer John Smyly says in the video. Atkinson repeats he's provided his identification but Smyly wants more proof. All Rights Reserved. Boulder has agreed to pay $95,000 to Sammie Lawrence, a Black man arrested in 2019 while filming a police interaction with unhoused individuals. 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. 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 . Smyly asked Atkinson if he was permitted to be in the location. 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. Zayd Atkinson was the subject of a viral video in which he was surrounded by 8 Boulder Police officers, some of them brandishing firearms, as he was picking up garbage outside of his home. 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. Up to this point, Mr. Atkinson had been polite but surprised by Officer Smylys presence, the independent report read. 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. Atkinson threatened to sue . By Ben Kesslen. Tunnel vision is a common affliction in internal investigations, especially when it conveniently allows police departments to avoid severe allegations like racism. Boulder Police Officer John Smyly quit the police force after an investigation found he violated department policy when he drew his gun and attempted to detain 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson in March . The independent report also echoed the Boulder police report conclusion that there was no evidence of racial bias on the part of Smyly. While he said he appreciates Boulder police releasing the numbers, he believes real change is still years away. 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. Your email address will not be published. May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. Lawrence, in a prepared statements. "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. According to the police report, Smyly asked Atkinson if he lived there and Atkinson said he did, and provided his Naropa student ID. He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . 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. Under a settlement with the city, Smyly will remain on Boulders payroll until February 2020. Bodycam footage of the incident emerged and sparked outrage. Smyly resigned under an agreement that allows him to collect $69,000 in salary. On March 1, 2019, Boulder Police Officer John Smyly stopped and questioned Zayd Atkinson while he was working in front of the building in which he lived. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. / CBS Colorado. 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 . 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. "I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all white town. The community member is being identified as he was previously publicly identified. The citysettled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. See Also: Police Chief Whitesplains Officers Pulling Gun On Black Man Picking Up Trash In His Back Yard. This is one of those bad-apple cops the citizens of the country should keep track of. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Had Officer Smyly understood the law, the contact would have ended without trauma, the report read. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. Im picking up trash. 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.". "I need to verify who you are," Smyly says. 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. The city settled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. Boulder Beat. 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. He and his lawyer, Siddhartha Rathod, spoke to "Good Morning . 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. Atkinson was detained by Smyly for further investigation and he made a call for backup. The officer decided to self-initiate contact with Mr. Atkinson, According to the incident summary, the reason Smyly decided to monitor the student is that he saw Mr. Atkinson manipulating an unknown object in his left hand as he held it close to his mouth, prompting him to drive closer to Mr. Atkinson to see what he was doing.. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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 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. He is originally from Hawaii and enjoys the beach, camping, golf, beer and writing third-person bios about himself that exaggerate how outdoorsy he is. Hogwash! You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. The body camera videos, the police reports . "Boulder police began looking into the incident on Friday and early this morning launched an official internal affairs investigation.". Here are some ways you can help. . 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 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. 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. 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. "Give him his ID back and we're outta here," one of the officers is heard saying. 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? Smyly said he was concerned Atkinson might have been trespassing. "I was suffering with a lot of anxiety, a lot of depression. That's when the tense 22-minute stand-off ends. This report is an executive summary of a personnel investigation into the allegation of serious misconduct involving a Boulder Police Officer. 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.. 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