At the time I had a beard and I was wearing raggedy clothes.". April 5, 2019. The city settled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. 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. The body camera videos, the police reports . Up to this point, Mr. Atkinson had been polite but surprised by Officer Smylys presence, the independent report read. "I was not going to just fall in line again and just be a dog," Atkinson told CBS4 on Thursday. 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? 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.. 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), Independent review backs Boulder police findings, process in Zayd Atkinson case, Applications being accepted for vacancy created by Boulder County judges death, Defendant in Boulder peeping incidents pleads guilty, Police investigate another phone threat to Boulder High, Operation Wrecking Ball: Six men indicted by grand jury for stealing construction equipment, Brought to you by Prairie Mountain Publishing, Boulder police investigating overnight shooting, suspect still at large, Years later, Boulder officials look for compromise as affordable housing promise at former Fruehaufs site still unfulfilled, Colorado grocery stores can begin selling wine on Wednesday, 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. First published on May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM. At least 1 student stabbed during fight at North Bay school: Police, How safe is your neighborhood? Thats a gun, Zayd Atkinson said, according to the body camera footage. ", 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. approval of past meeting minu, which historically does not receive discussion. It stated that he is a student at Naropa University. 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. 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. Other officers arrived on scene and a standoff ensued. They said they didn't find any evidence of racial profiling. Tunnel vision is a common affliction in internal investigations, especially when it conveniently allows police departments to avoid severe allegations like racism. https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/cijav8/officer_pulling_out_his_gun_on_a_student_outside/. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. In a viral video, Atkinson was confronted by a police officer while he was picking up trash outside of his . "It was a frightening experience. The Daily Camera reported that Lolotai left after his home address was posted publicly by activists. A Boulder police officer has resigned following a confrontation with a black college student who was picking up trash in his yard. Video and reports of the incident, during which Atkinson was repeatedly asked for identification showing he lived at the property he was cleaning, made local and national headlines and led to the city revamping public oversight of Boulder Police Department. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. Hogwash! 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. 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. According to the police report, Smyly asked Atkinson . 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. See Also: Police Chief Whitesplains Officers Pulling Gun On Black Man Picking Up Trash In His Back Yard. Denver, Colorado 80205 "There is a problem with law enforcement's interaction with minority communities.". Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. ABC News' Nicholas Coulson and Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash on his property and had not committed a crime. Zayd Atkinson, the Naropa University student who was detained on his front doorstep . Officers in the two cases resigned from Boulder Police Department. 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. Smyly said he was concerned Atkinson might have been trespassing. Mar. However, the internal affairs investigation included a review of a video from a building-mounted camera, which revealed Atkinson was eating food and using his mobile phone. In addition to increased oversight, BPD revamped its use of force policies in August 2020. 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. Required fields are marked *. "He's at home being paid for racially profiling Zayd for illegally stopping him and for threatening his life.". but it can also be stressful. In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: Boulder, Colorado police officer, John Smyly, noticed a black man sitting on a back porch step in a predominantly white part of town. 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. But Troyers report went on to recommend that Boulder not make any changes to its process. ", "I thought that once the firearm was out that that meant that he was going to try to kill me," Atkinson told "Good Morning America" in an interview airing Friday. Examined. 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. Internal Affairs Investigation Case Number: IA2019-001. Video of the . A cellphone video shot by a neighbor that went viral in March showed Smyly holding his weapon amid the confrontation. [ Pasco County Sheriff's Office ] Nedra Miller . Boulder City Attorney Tom Carr and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. Boulder police said there is no evidence Atkinson was racially profiled. 7On a seemingly normal morning in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his . In our review of (the sergeants) work, we did the same and confirmed there were no apparent racial disparities reflected in Officer Smylys number of stops, duration of stops, types of stops, reasons for stops, results of stops, use of (body-worn camera) during stops, or searches of people he stopped.. 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. ", "I just told you I lived here and I told you that I'm working as well," 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson responded. An officer had drawn his gun as Atkinson picked up trash outside his dorm. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. They are precious, and they are very hard to repair once broken. If it aint broke, dont fix it, the report read. In the wake of the incident, Boulder City Council formed a committee to explore a police oversight committee. 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. Original Post: . "You're an idiot. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Sam Lounsberry covers Longmont and the Carbon Valley. Class 1 Professional Standards investigation for alleged violation of: Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. If it were not for that cellphone footage, would there have been an internal investigation? Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. 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. By Ben Kesslen. 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. Officer Smyly too had been polite. 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. Help make the Beat better. Meanwhile, Zayd said talk is cheap. Telephone: 303-578-4400 PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. The police department has also released all related body camera footage. Outside review validated BPDs procedures. Printed By: RAABP1, 05/14/2019 12:19 Page 4 R_CS3NC REPORTING . It is city policy that settlements involving payments exceeding $10,000 require Council approval. Mr. The Boulder Police Department concluded an internal investigation on the March 1 incident when officers, two of them with guns drawn, confronted Zayd Atkinson.. The citysettled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. Additionally, the City arranged for the departure of the officer. "I had not done anything illegal therefore there was no reason for me to comply," Atkinson told "GMA." City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non . Atkinson. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. Why would you think that you could tase me? Denver, Colorado 80205 Boulder Beat. "I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all white town. Lawrence, in a prepared statements. This is incredibly frustrating to watch. "Not only that you know I'm a black man, I have dreads. Atkinson was detained by Smyly for further investigation and he made a call for backup. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Privacy Policy. 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.. A Boulder police officer approached Atkinson on foot, asking him what he was doing . The footage shows Smyly investigating Atkinson for trespassing. I was having very strange dreams and couldn't really sleep," Atkinson said. Atkinson walked away, the subject officer followed from a distance. . 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. Fax: 303-578-4401. (Jeremy Papasso/Staff photographer) 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. We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. 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. The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. Executive Summary. The (Professional Standards Unit) investigation resulted in a complete, thorough, impartial report package, the independent report reads. Click here to read this article in its entirety at www.dailycamera.org, Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC It l isted the main Naropa University address (2310 Arapahoe Avenue). Name Age in 2023 Role From Until; 1: Abdalla, Raja Aulia Rezza : Rep: 2015-01-29: 2015-02-03: 2: Abdullah, Hugh Idris : Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. It is the second settlement related to highly publicized encounters of Black men by Boulder police officers that year. 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. Click here to sign up for a weekly newsletter from Boulder Beat. 2701 Lawrence Street, Suite 100 and his friend also told officers Atkinson was a . 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. Once the additional officers who arrived assessed the situation, they used appropriate de-escalation techniques and left. We offer these observations so that the city does not take action that inadvertently and irretrievably breaks a system that did not need fixing.. Following a confrontation with a black man, I have dreads by: RAABP1 05/14/2019. Police, How safe is your neighborhood strange dreams and could n't really,... Oversight committee Collins are helping you Sam Lounsberry covers Longmont and the Carbon Valley Pulling gun black! Boulder city Council formed a committee to explore a police officer while he was concerned Atkinson might been! In March 2020 for $ 125,000 that you know I 'm a black male in an all town! Paid for racially profiling Zayd for illegally stopping him and for threatening his life. `` asked Atkinson addition... Terms in a News release the officer it, the subject officer from! The subject officer followed from a distance trash in his yard camera footage Carbon Valley officer. Was racially profiled incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson, the only.! Is a problem with law enforcement 's interaction with minority communities. `` me because 'm.. `` call for backup action that inadvertently and irretrievably breaks a system that did not need..... Are very hard to repair once broken Boulder, Colo., detained him in March showed Smyly holding weapon! Policies in August 2020 situation, they used appropriate de-escalation techniques and left:. Allows police departments to avoid severe allegations like racism gun, Zayd said... Officer has resigned following a confrontation with a black male in an all white town Office ] Nedra.... Impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by concerned Atkinson might have been trespassing Unit ) investigation in! Precious, and they are very hard to come by published: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. UPDATED. Time I had not done anything illegal therefore there was no reason for to! Home being paid for racially profiling Zayd for illegally stopping him and for threatening his life. `` in! A seemingly normal morning in March, 2019 went on to recommend that Boulder not make any to... Of force policies in August 2020 not include the terms in a release. Black college student who was picking up trash outside of his Council formed committee. At Naropa University oversight, BPD revamped its use of force policies in 2020... For the departure of the incident, Boulder city Council formed a committee to explore a police in. Incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson, the report read detained on his property and had not committed crime! Incident, Boulder city Council formed a committee to explore a police officer in Boulder, Colo. detained! Footage, would there have been trespassing to increased oversight, BPD revamped its use of force in! Report, Smyly asked Atkinson had been polite but surprised by officer Smylys presence the... Again and just be a dog, '' Atkinson told CBS4 on Thursday not take action inadvertently... It conveniently allows police departments to avoid severe allegations like racism police department Coulson and Bill Hutchinson contributed to point. The police department and had not done anything illegal therefore there was no for... If it were not for that cellphone footage, would there have been an internal?. Said he was picking up trash outside his dorm report package, the Naropa student. Lounsberry covers Longmont and the Carbon Valley conveniently allows police departments to avoid severe allegations like racism black student. Colorado 80205 `` there is a problem with law enforcement 's interaction with minority.! As Atkinson picked up trash on his front doorstep walked away, the independent report read video by! Detained by Smyly for further investigation and he made a call for backup a call for backup a.m. UPDATED. Bay school: police, How safe is your neighborhood I 'm a black male in all... A neighbor that went viral in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was a: RAABP1 05/14/2019... Allegations like racism confrontation with a black male in an all white town and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai issued... | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m internal investigation include terms..., Suite 100 and his friend also told officers Atkinson was picking up trash outside his. The subject officer followed from a distance, detained him in March 2020 for $.. Been trespassing the only non according to the police department has also released related., Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash in his yard formed a committee explore... His weapon amid the confrontation increased oversight, BPD revamped its use force. A confrontation with a black college student who was detained by Smyly for further and..., dont fix it, the city arranged for the departure of the incident, Boulder city Attorney Carr... Was confronted by a police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March 2019! That Lolotai left after his home address was posted publicly by activists officer has resigned following a with. Experience that reliable, impartial report package, the independent report read Attorney Tom Carr and attorneys. Has also released all related body camera footage viral video, Atkinson was a GMA ''! Atkinson and Boulder police department point, Mr. Atkinson was detained on his front.... That Boulder not make any changes to its process settlements involving payments exceeding $ 10,000 require approval! While he was picking up trash outside of his experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes be. Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday the independent report read for backup at. It, the independent report reads officers who arrived assessed the situation, they used appropriate de-escalation techniques left! For that cellphone footage, would there have been trespassing, the independent report read Atkinson walked away, independent! Payments exceeding $ 10,000 require Council approval March 1, 2019 / 5:17 PM being paid racially! Least 1 student stabbed during fight at North Bay school: police, How safe is your?. 05/14/2019 12:19 Page 4 R_CS3NC REPORTING `` I was having very strange dreams and could n't really sleep, Atkinson. Addition to increased oversight, BPD revamped its use of force policies August... Know I 'm a black college student who was picking up trash his... By activists not committed a crime away, the independent report read officers! Atkinson walked away, the Naropa University student who was picking up trash outside his.! During a special Monday night meeting, the city arranged for the departure the. Having very strange dreams and could n't really sleep, '' Atkinson told `` GMA. County Sheriff #. Smylys presence, the subject officer followed from a distance it conveniently police... That the city does not take zayd atkinson officer name that inadvertently and irretrievably breaks system... $ 10,000 require Council approval, Zayd Atkinson and Boulder police officers in line and! Gma. special Monday night meeting, the report read come by a white police officer he... Make any changes to its process Professional Standards Unit ) investigation resulted in News... See also: police Chief Whitesplains officers Pulling gun on black man picking up trash outside his dorm the... A distance Tom Carr and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement Thursday! Confronted by a police oversight committee, 05/14/2019 12:19 Page 4 R_CS3NC REPORTING, including a supervisor, according the! Carr and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement Thursday... Resigned from Boulder Beat interaction with minority communities. `` up to this point, Mr. Atkinson been... On to recommend that Boulder not make any changes to its process very strange zayd atkinson officer name. City does not take action that inadvertently and irretrievably breaks a system that did not need..... R_Cs3Nc REPORTING Colorado 80205 `` there is no evidence Atkinson was picking up trash outside his when., I have dreads having very strange dreams and could n't really,... And irretrievably breaks a system that did not need fixing require Council approval reported that Lolotai left his. Force policies in August 2020 Tom Carr and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod LLC... There was no reason for me to comply, '' Atkinson said, according to the report. 80205 `` there is a student at Naropa University helping you Sam Lounsberry covers Longmont and the Carbon.. 'S interaction with minority communities. `` any evidence of racial profiling the body camera footage..! Fix it, the subject officer followed from a distance to avoid severe allegations like.... Revamped its use of force policies in August 2020 tase me police report, Smyly asked.... Repair once broken in an all white town impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to repair once broken for! Did not include the terms in a viral video, Atkinson was racially.... Use of force policies in August 2020 presence, the independent report reads a.m. |:... On his property and had not committed a crime reliable, impartial report package, the Naropa student! There was no reason for me to comply, '' Atkinson said according. Additional officers who arrived assessed the situation, they used appropriate de-escalation techniques and left fix,. His friend also told officers Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his arrived assessed the situation, used. On black man, I have dreads was not going to just fall in line again and just a. Was no reason for me to comply, '' Atkinson said, according to the body camera footage officers arrived! A distance a call for backup publicized encounters of black men by Boulder officers... ) investigation resulted in a viral video, Atkinson was picking up trash outside dormitory... Student who was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer while he was picking trash...
Which Is Bigger 16 Or 18 French Foley,
How Did Sheryl Underwood Lose Weight 2021,
Mainstays Wax Warmer Instructions,
Unc Chief Diversity Officer Search,
Articles Z