"I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. 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. 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. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police . We would immediately lose our jobs.. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WYFF-TV. 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. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong.Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. The Associated Press reports he will earn benefits and a salary during this time and will be compensated for any unused holiday he accrues. Under a settlement with the department, Mr Smyly will stay on the city payroll until February 2020. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. On March 1 st, 2019, Officer John Smyly was conducting patrols when he saw Atkinson seated on a bench of the building that said "private property."Smyly approaches Atkinson as he sits on the bench to ask if he resides in the building. Despite the documentarys bleak outlook, the filmmakers remain optimistic, due in large part to the positive reception of the film so far. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. 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. Atkinson asked for Smylys supervisor several times during the footage and a total of eight officers and a sergeant responded to the scene. How many strikeouts did John Smiley have? One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. 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. "The city of Boulder is paying this officer nearly $80,000 [71,500] for violating the constitutional rights of Zayd," he said. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. He said Boulder either lacks the ability or will to root out racism from this police department. Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod, said he thinks Smyly is getting off too easy. Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when there was no Google in Boulder. 0 Its a facilitation. John Smiley was a Pitcher. 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. An attorney for Atkinson called the agreement with the city of Boulder ridiculous., Boulder is essentially saying, 'Were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd,' attorney Siddhartha Rathod said. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. 400 0 obj <> endobj (Siddhartha Rathod via AP) 1 of 2. 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.A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. 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. 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. Mr. Rathod is correct. 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. He resigned before a disciplinary process commenced. Boulder Police Officer John Smyly quit . By Ben Kesslen. I found this video of John Smyly, whom I met personally in Japan in 2003 and dont think hes a racist, reason why I decided to make this video. The body camera footage of Officer Smyly shows the exchange between go sour after Atkinson told him that he was a resident and offered to show him his access . 1202 University Avenue, 459 UCB The shepherd boy, the wolf and the threat to Israeli democracy. They hope that after viewing the film, people will feel motivated to take action or start down a path of self-education, however they feel compelled to whether thats by joining the Boulder County branch of the NAACP, reading books on white privilege, having difficult conversations about race and ethnicity or something else entirely. A white Colorado police officer who confronted a black man picking . All Rights Reserved. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!After about eight minutes, more Boulder police officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson.One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. On body-camera footage the city released Thursday, Atkinson can be heard saying, Im a student, I live here Im doing my job.. Mr Smyly called for backup because Mr Atkinson was "unwilling to put down a blunt object". Watch live: White House monkeypox response team holds briefing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He said he has had trouble sleeping and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him. A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. Police body camera footage released . Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. Most young women are not. This Is [Not] Who We Are won a prestigious Peoples Choice Award when it premiered at the Boulder International Film Festival in March, and after the screening, scores of people eagerly participated in a call-to-action discussion session. This is a clamp!" BOULDER, Colo. One of the Boulder police officers who confronted a black man as he was picking up trash in his yard has been found to be in violation of department policies and has resigned . A big reason why I got into film and video is because of the storytelling aspect, said Miller. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. {mosads}While the finding likely would have resulted in suspension or possibly termination, Officer Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, the statement said. As part of his resignation agreement, Smyly will officially end his employment with Boulder on Feb. 9, 2020 after using his accrued floating holiday leave, sick and permitted administrative leave. [The positive reaction] makes me want to work even harder toward fixing these problems, and Im feeling that same sense of energy and responsibility from audiences, said Miller. That morning, John Smyly, a Boulder police officer, was driving around the area of Folsom Street and . Oyeneyin was handcuffed and detained in his own home after police responded to a burglar alarm in process. 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. Colorado police confront man picking up trash on his lawn. 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. Associated Press / May 17, 2019. When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to . Atkinsons behavior reportedly led Smyly to radio for backup because the resident was being uncooperative and unwilling to put down a blunt object, a police statement obtained by ABC News said. ABC News noted that other officers arrived on the scene soon after. 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, according to the new footage. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. Officer quits after pulling gun on black college student picking up trash outside dorm. In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. Officer Smyly got his attention and asked him to stop. City officials said the investigation could not prove that Smyly acted because of Atkinsons race. Miller, along with Beret Strong (Engl83) and John Tweedy (Engl82), are sparking important conversations about race and inclusion with their film This Is [Not] Who We Are, which explores the disconnect between Boulder's self-proclaimed commitment to diversity and Black residents lived experiences. 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". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. May 16, 2019, 9:54 PM. 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. CU ecologists are tracking down the surviving trees of the Front Ranges all but vanished apple orchards and priming a renewal. As part of an agreement, hell remain an employee through February and earn roughly $69,000 in salary for unused holiday and sick time, officials said. /9YmNx7|:900w40e =:(xe:`L01[ J @45aG1V !@ %ISB&=@I!IB=@w30=s 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. KQ)csp W,M=--I3&\(4lPb&[ At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Now, 15 years later, Miller is once again using documentary film as a vehicle for social change. 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. The incident happened on March 1 on the 2300 block of Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder. Smyly is a 14-year department veteran was found in violation of two department policies. Atkinson then started to walk away and continue picking up trash after Smyly asked for his address and date of birth, leading Smyly to radio for help. Im picking up trash, and youre holding a gun!. 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. TwoFeather. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. It's like Live PD, except actually live, and without the \"cops can do no wrong\" bias.music in this videoLove Is Blind (Instrumental Version) - Coma Svenssonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u78BBpHcz44Wasted Education - Blue Topazhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqmKzeeDj54 Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. After Atkinson said he did, Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. 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. 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. John Smyly, the Boulder, Colorado, officer who initiated contact with Zayd Atkinson that resulted in a tense interaction where several officers drew their guns, was allowed to resign. Boulder, CO 80309-0459, University of Colorado Boulder Regents of the University of Colorado If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted, attorney Siddhartha Rathod told the newspaper. This is a bucket! Atkinsons attorney, meanwhile, said he was upset that Smyly is allowed to stay on the citys payroll for more than eight months. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. The city offered to settle with Atkinson for $125,000. 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. Maybe he got a suspicious call or saw something but things escalated. 2 Followers, 0 Following, 1 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from John Smyly (@reformed_cop) Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. 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. Officer John Smyly. "If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Officer John Smyly resigned Wednesday ahead of a planned administrative hearing into his confrontation involving Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson in March, CBS Denver reported. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. When demonstrators took to the streets to show support for Atkinson and protest racism, the filmmakers grabbed their cameras and got to work. Officer John Smyly was allowed to resign. The city said that an investigation did not find evidence of racial profiling. Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on that day, Officer John Smyly spotted Atkinson sitting in a partially enclosed patio area directly behind a "Private Property" sign and spoke to him to find out if he . "That means you can do whatever you want and break the law and get away with it.". This is a bucket. 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. 411 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[400 19]/Info 399 0 R/Length 74/Prev 280568/Root 401 0 R/Size 419/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. He has led this program for nine seasons, earning five bowl berths, and in 2018 guiding the team to its first appearance in the AP Top 25's final rankings in 22 years. Youre probably going to get tased in a second, because you have a weapon, Smyly told Atkinson before brandishing his handgun. 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. Smyly then detained Atkinson for further investigation,which prompted Atkinson to grow frustrated. Facebook gives people the power to share. }, 2000 ) } ); John Smyly, a former police officer in the city of Boulder, Colo., will not face harsh penalties after he racially profiled, harassed, and threatened a Black man doing a good deed in his community. We do not know the motive of the officer on why he approached this black man. Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. Atkinson responded by showing the officer his school identification card and telling him that he lived there. The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. Based on the investigation, the Boulder Police Department will start additional training on de-escalation efforts for officers. setTimeout( function() { Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. A video showing part of the scene went viral on the Internet, sparking outrage in the progressive Colorado city. The settlement allowed the city to provide the community information more quickly, and it transitioned Officer Smyly out of a law enforcement career, he said. John Smyly questioned and followed Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson near his home in Boulder. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM / CBS Colorado. 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 Smyly drew his gun and called in backup during the confrontation in March. (Siddhartha Rathod via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Atkinson can be seen holding a bucket and a metal trash grabber. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the buildings rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there.After Atkinson said he did, Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. At one point, eight police officers were surrounding Atkinson, but they eventually left after confirming Atkinson did indeed live in the building as he claimed. 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 officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with . After about eight minutes, more Boulder police officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson. When demonstrators took to the . "Boulder is paying this officer nearly $80,000 in taxpayer money, giving him a year's paid vacation for what he did," Rathod said, adding that if any other citizen had done what Smyly did, they would be fired from their job and charged criminally. The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. Thats what youre gonna do officer? Police body camera footage released Thursday . More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. Video of the incident from Smyly's body camera shows him detaining . We've received your submission. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . Authorities also released body camera footage from officers at the scene. 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. 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. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. Featuring historical context and emotional interviews with present-day Black residents of Boulder including children and teens grappling with racist bullies at school This Is [Not] Who We Are shows another side of a city that views itself as progressive. WEST POINT, N.Y. Army head coach Jeff Monken is giving a history lesson. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. . Im picking up trash! "The subject officer did not have probable cause to charge Mr Atkinson with any crime.". The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. More broadly, they hope as many people as possible will view the documentary and join us in trying to be the community that we want to be, Miller said. Smyly attempted to detain Atkinson, a student at Naropa University in Boulder, asking him to prove he lived on the property. The film "This Is Not Who We Are" includes the testimonials of several black Boulder . The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. 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. John Smyly resigned from the BPD after pointing a gun at Black Naropa student Zayd Atkinson, and he was just hired by Boulder County Sheriff. 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. 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. If you know what department Smyly is working it, please email that information to realjamesfreeman@gmail.com, so I can publicly publish that information, warning potential new victims.ID Refusal by Boulder Colorado man, Zayde Atkinson results in threats and officer John Smyly brandishing a fire arm.email videos you want covered on this channel to Realjamesfreeman@gmail.com James Freeman does first amendment audits, cop watching, cop blocking, and more. 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. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. Youre on my property with a gun in your hand, threatening to shoot me because Im picking up trash, Atkinson said. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. The city of Bouldersaid in a statement Thursday that officer John Smyly violated multiple department policies when heconfrontedZayd Atkinson, 26, in March. While we have no proof racial bias was a motivating factor, the internal affairs investigation resulted in sustained violations of police policies.. Atkinson echoed Rathod's remarks in an interview with Denver7. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the buildings rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!. 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 . A white Colorado police officer caught on video pulling a gun on a black man who was picking up trash outside his home has resigned, officials said Thursday. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smy. John Smiley was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft from Perkiomen School (Pennsburg, PA). Recordings emerged of Greene referring to deputies in his department as "Black bastards" and "snakes.". In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. During the incident the man gave officers his university ID and said repeatedly that he lived and worked at the shared occupancy building. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Initially freelancing at iOne Digital in 2010, he officially joined the iOne team in 2017 where he currently works as a Senior Editor for Cassius Life and Hip-Hop Wired. Thats what youre gonna do, officer? The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . 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. 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. 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.Body camera footage released Thursday provided a full video account of the tense encounter, which gained national attention based on video shot by someone inside the building. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct, the city attorney said. 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. 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