Officer Smyly too had been polite. 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. According to city records included in Lawrences lawsuit, Lolotai used force on residents 81 times between January 2017 and June 2020, including using his firearm to gain compliance 38 times. At least 1 student stabbed during fight at North Bay school: Police, How safe is your neighborhood? Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash on his property and had not committed a crime. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM The investigation found officer John Smyly violated two department policies and determined: 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. He said he still hasn't received an apology, and the new report is just Boulder police's way of covering their backs. Boulder is set to issue a $125,000 settlement payment to Zayd Atkinson, the black Naropa University student who was confronted by a now-former city police officer last year while picking up trash outside his school housing unit. The body camera videos, the police reports . 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. I didnt know what else to do besides, you know, to fight with my voice and to practice my rights, which were thoroughly being breached., The city of Boulder stated, that while the finding likely would have resulted in suspension or possibly termination, Officer Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process., John Smylys resignation agreement with the city was negotiated by City Attorney Tom Carr, who explained that the resignation immediately removes Officer Smyly from law enforcement and prevents his reinstatement to the Boulder Police Department., Get the top DEI news delivered straight to your inbox, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 23, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 17, Race, Homelessness and the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility, How Companies Are Celebrating Black History Month, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 9. Atkinson threatened to sue . The footage shows Smyly investigating Atkinson for trespassing. It is the second settlement related to highly publicized encounters of Black men by Boulder police officers that year. Privacy Policy. The report also lauded the internal affairs sergeant for thoroughness, including checking Smylys stop data. But with the question about which specific unit he lived in, Mr. Atkinson paused, looked around, and began to become exasperated.. No problem, says Proposition Gay, CEO announces Saturday, September 17 is Colorado Daily's final issue, Pot and perception: Looking at what marijuana really does to you, Loveland man sentenced to prison for Longmont pharmacy robbery, Louisville man sentenced to jail, probation in sex assault of woman he met through dating app, Convicted adoption-agency head sent to jail, Man accused of drinking girl's urine arrested in Arizona, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. They unanimously approved the payout Tuesday. Investigations into both incidents were subject toindependent reviewdue to high community interest. . The officer who confronted Atkinson resigned from the Boulder Police Department, and the Department enhanced oversight . First published on May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); True life tales of a homeless man in Boulder, CO. Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. Examined. Atkinson." 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. When Smyly asked for more information, Atkinson refused and walked away. 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.. 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. They are precious, and they are very hard to repair once broken. 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. 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. 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. 2701 Lawrence Street, Suite 100 The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more . At the time I had a beard and I was wearing raggedy clothes.". Video of the . 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. 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 . 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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 . Hogwash! Mr. 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.". "Not only that you know I'm a black man, I have dreads. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. 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. 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. Boulder Beat. Atkinson was allegedly racially profiled by a Boulder Police officer for picking up trash on his own property. [ Pasco County Sheriff's Office ] Nedra Miller . We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. . "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. Smyly drew his stun gun and then his handgun as he felt threatened by the trash grabber Atkinson was using. The training of the additional officers who arrived on scene contributed to the resolution of this incident without further escalation or injury. But sometimes there's just no excuse for police behavior. 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 . Atkinson was behind a private property sign and . https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/cijav8/officer_pulling_out_his_gun_on_a_student_outside/. 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. "I was not going to just fall in line again and just be a dog," Atkinson told CBS4 on Thursday. Covering City Council and Sundry, with flair, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022 (Updated Tuesday, Jan. 4). 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. Zayd gave his name and confirmed that he lived at the location. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. "If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Atkinson told the officer that he lived in the building and showed him his school identification card. I thought that once the firearm was out that that meant that he was going to try to kill me, Atkinson said on Good Morning America in April. "Well I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all-white town," Atkinson said later. * The statement did not release any terms of the settlement. 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. Internal Affairs Investigation Case Number: IA2019-001. Denver, Colorado 80205 May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. "I had not done anything illegal therefore there was no reason for me to comply," Atkinson told "GMA." Boulder City Attorney Tom Carr and Atkinson's attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The police internal investigation concluded Smyly violated department policy during the encounter with Atkinson, and the independent report backed those conclusions, saying Smyly made some pivotal mistakes including asking for Atkinsons date of birth when he was not entitled to that information and mistakenly believing he had reasonable suspicion that a crime was occurring. 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