Click here to read this article in its entirety at www.dailycamera.org, Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC 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. 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. If you use that weapon against me then yes, that is a consideration, Smyly responded. Atkinson. Help make the Beat better. Atkinson said he's had trouble sleeping since the incident. BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - John Smyly, a Boulder police officer, has resigned after his department says he violated two rules when he questioned and followed a Naropa University student who was outside his home. Was there a perspective we missed, or facts we didnt consider? The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more welcoming, and respectful place for all. Atkinson repeats he's provided his identification but Smyly wants more proof. We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. During this period, the officer was alone with Mr. Atkinson., Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun. Your email address will not be published. . "You're an idiot. 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? "I was not going to just fall in line again and just be a dog," Atkinson told CBS4 on Thursday. However, none of the officers explained why they wanted him to sit down. Help make the Beat better. Telephone: 303-578-4400 https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/cijav8/officer_pulling_out_his_gun_on_a_student_outside/. Will Denver voters elect a mayor who will stop enabling homelessness. Zayd Atkinson, 26, told ABC News he's still fighting to overcome the "traumatic experience" of being racially profiled by Colorado police officers. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash. Telephone: 303-578-4400 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 . 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 was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. According to a news release earlier this month, a Boulder police officer saw a man, now identified as Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson, sitting in a partially enclosed patio area directly . 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. Denver, Colorado 80205 and our The independent report also echoed the Boulder police report conclusion that there was no evidence of racial bias on the part of Smyly. An officer had drawn his gun as Atkinson picked up trash outside his dorm. There are still liberal snowflakes trying to stir up indignation over the overblown drama of the Zayd Atkinson incident. The report released with the body camera footage noted the officer did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson, or probable cause to . PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. 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.. Or mail cash/check/precious gemstones toP.O. Zayd Atkinson, the Naropa University student who was detained on his front doorstep . 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. Fax: 303-578-4401. 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 . 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. 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. "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. 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. and his friend also told officers Atkinson was a . "It was a frightening experience. 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. 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 . We would immediately lose our jobs." A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. Atkinson was detained by Smyly for further investigation and he made a call for backup. 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. Additionally, the City arranged for the departure of the officer. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM Zayd gave his name and confirmed that he lived at the location. Apparently he was on the payroll until Feb of this year. The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more . Mr. . "I couldn't help but notice you sitting on the patio out there," officer John Smyly says in the video. A Boulder police officer approached Atkinson on foot, asking him what he was doing . After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. Resources for the homeless in Boulder, CO, Zayd Atkinson aspires to be a perpetual victim (Im not buying it). This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The officer eventually pulled out his gun and called for backup. We hope this settlement will prompt introspection from City officials, whoselofty rhetoric around policing has lagged far behind the reality of Boulders pattern of abusivepolice conduct.. Boulder has agreed to pay $95,000 to Sammie Lawrence, a Black man arrested in 2019 while filming a police interaction with unhoused individuals. Smyly drew his stun gun and then his handgun as he felt threatened by the trash grabber Atkinson was using. He asked Smyly if he would fire the weapon if he didnt put the trash grabber down. 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. 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. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. 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. 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. "Not only that you know I'm a black man, I have dreads. "I need to verify who you are," Smyly says. The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . As the subject officer got closer, he could also see that Mr. Atkinson was picking items up off the ground with the long metal object [a trash grabber] and placing them into a white bucket that he was holding. Zayd Atkinson, an African American student at Naropa University, was picking up garbage on his own property when he was swarmed by gun-wielding police officers harassing and threatening him. The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. 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. 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. Hogwash! ", 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. 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. Lawrence's arrest came later and with less fanfare. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News . 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. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. They said they didn't find any evidence of racial profiling. 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. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo . That lack of explanation solidified Mr. Atkinsons perception that he was not being treated honestly and fairly, which increased his agitation and heightened his berating of the officers.. 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. But with the question about which specific unit he lived in, Mr. Atkinson paused, looked around, and began to become exasperated.. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. The statement did not release any terms of the settlement. ), Want more stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox? According to the police report, Smyly asked Atkinson . Smyly, a 14-year veteran of the department, resigned from active duty on May 16. But Smyly kept insisting Atkinson tell him his unit number, wanting further proof that he lived there. Lawrences arresting officer, Waylon Lolotai, left BPD in September 2020 amid an investigation into social media posts that glorified the use of force against residents, for which he was placed on administrative leave. Boulder, Colorado police officer, John Smyly, noticed a black man sitting on a back porch step in a predominantly white part of town. Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. 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.. "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. Executive Summary. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. . 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. 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. 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 . First published on May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM. 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. James Harden surprises fan paralyzed in MSU shooting with FaceTime call and donation, 2 million air fryers recalled due to fire and burn hazards, Students speak out about bullying after fellow student dies by suicide, Digital Deals & Steals celebrating women-owned businesses, (MORE: Charlottesville schools closed over 'racially charged' online threat), (MORE: Colorado police under investigation after viral video shows them pulling guns on black man), (MORE: After blacks kicked off juries, Mississippi man claims racial bias at Supreme Court), (MORE: Man charged after screaming racial slurs, wielding gun on video). RO=Responsible Officer, Rep=Representative. The charges were dismissed after Lawrence completed a deferred sentence; he filed suit in March 2021, asserting that his First and Fourth AmendmentChange made to existing documents, resolutions, or ordinances rights had been violated. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Sam Lounsberry covers Longmont and the Carbon Valley. Body camera video of the incident that was released on Thursday shows Atkinson getting upset after the officer asked him what unit he lives in and asking him to provide identification that showed his address. 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. The Boulder Police Department says the rules that were violated were conduct and violation of police authority and public trust. Newly-released body camera video shows how it all started. This is incredibly frustrating to watch. Fall in line again and just be a dog, '' officer Smyly... Victim ( Im not buying it ) confirmed that he lived there less fanfare stop enabling.... '' officer John Smyly says the weapon if he didnt put the trash grabber down Smyly says in video. 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