Atkinson said he did, and Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. According to the report, Smyly asked Atkinson whether he lived in the building, which was Naropa student housing. "I couldn't help but notice you sitting on the patio out there," officer John Smyly says in the video. According to the report, Smyly asked Atkinson whether he lived in the building, which was Naropa student housing. According to the report, Smyly asked Atkinson if he lived there. 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 Sheriffs Office after complaints from the Boulder County NAACP chapter. Subscribe to more newsletters | COVID-19 tracker | Compare home values by ZIP code | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy, Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Council of American Islamic Relations, speaks as Travis Grant, second left, acting national director of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and family attorney Zaid Abdallah look on, as they address charges against an Oak Lawn police officer Feb. 15, 2023. Oyeneyin was handcuffed and detained in his own home after police responded to a burglar alarm in process. Im picking up trash, and youre holding a gun!. 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. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. The officer allegedly struck a Bridgeview teen more than 10 times in the face and head as he was laying face down in the street during an arrest captured on video last July. 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A Cactus League road game yesterday came hours after Seiya Suzukis disappointment over his oblique strain and outlook at what comes next for the Chicago Cubs right fielder. We failed to consider the sentiment, or trigger that it might cause for people of color. Based upon this investigation and concerns it raised, the Boulder Police Department will be initiating additional officer training concerning effective de-escalation of incidents, the department wrote in a release. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. Carr said the resignation agreement allowed the city to provide the community information more quickly, and it transitioned Officer Smyly out of a law enforcement career. The citys bargaining agreement with police officers requires an appeal for any disciplinary action and could have allowed Smyly to return to duty, he added. Gen Z Voices: Attending school on a tribal reservation, and outside of it, led Aidan Gover to discover the disparities in education. 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. Read more here. 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. If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted, Rathod said. Im picking up trash! Pelle wrote that his initial hiring approval was based on Smyly being the best candidate for the job, which was a temporary, non-enforcement job with no public contact or representation.. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. Boulder police said there is no evidence Atkinson was racially profiled. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! We have concluded this hire was not helpful to our equity work, and I wish to inform you of the resolution to the issue. 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. Patrick von Keyserling, communications director for the city, confirmed that the results of the internal investigation will not go into his file. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune). You can read the full agreement below. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. "I couldn't help but notice you sitting on the patio out there," officer John Smyly says in the video. 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. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. But Carr did elaborate on the decision not to fire or suspend Smyly in the statement. 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. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. At one point the officer says, "you're probably going to get tased.". How do you feel?" The former Boulder police officer who resigned after pointing a gun at a Black Naropa student has taken a temporary civilian position with the Boulder County Sheriffs Office. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role on May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Adler Planetarium says theyll be visible tonight, Grab a magic wand for potions class: Wizard-themed bar The Cauldron opens soon in Wicker Park, Column: Creed III is right on time, say stars Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors, Greek transport minister resigns after head-on train crash kills dozens, Eli Lilly plans to slash some insulin prices, expand cost cap, Long-lost ship found in Lake Huron, confirming tragic story, 10-1! When Smyly asked for an address and date of birth, Atkinson walked away and began to pick up trash again. The iconic deep dish chain is focusing on expanding its franchise restaurants. 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. Thats what youre gonna do, officer? 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. The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. (Facebook . The Lookout is a free, daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado. He can be heard saying in the body cam video, Youre probably going to get tased in a second, because you have a weapon. Smyly then drew his handgun, telling police he believed the stun gun would not be effective because Atkinson was wearing a heavy coat. Jim Gardiner is top vote-getter, likely headed to runoff with Megan Mathias, which mayoral candidate received the most votes in your ward, Oak Lawn officer pleads not guilty in violent arrest captured on video, allegedly struck teen more than 10 times, Woman, 55, fatally wounded Tuesday night in North Austin neighborhood, Man fatally injured when SUV falls on him near Gages Lake, Pizzeria Uno sells frozen pizza division to Romeoville-based Great Kitchens. According to a summary of the investigation released by Boulder police, Smyly was conducting extra patrols on March 1, 2019, in the area of Folsom Street and Arapahoe Avenue when he saw Atkinson seated on a bench in a patio area that had a sign that said private property.. 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. Smyly told dispatchers Atkinson was failing to comply and had a blunt metal object, which resulted in eight officers and a sergeant responding to the scene. Youre gonna shoot a resident on his property for picking up trash?, Smyly drew his gun when the two men reached the back of the building, an investigative summary said. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, a black man confronted by a Boulder police officer. Smyly told the department he could not tell what race Atkinson was when he first saw him. He will leave as soon as possible, When our staff interviewed the candidates for this term position, Some understood the past controversy in his role as a, city police officer, so they brought this decision to some of our executive staff members, including, discussion. A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. According to a summary of the investigation released by Boulder police Chief Greg Testa, Smyly was conducting extra patrols on March 1 in the area of Folsom Street and Arapahoe Avenue due to recent crime in the area. We would immediately lose our jobs.. At about 8:20 a.m., Smyly was in his patrol car when he saw Atkinson from a distance at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. manipulating an unknown object in his left hand. Smyly drove closer and observed Atkinson for a minute and saw him seated on a bench in a patio area that had a sign that said private property.. In an effort to keep our community informed, we are now publishing some press peleases in whole. 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