According to Boulder Police Department, the officer approached Zayd Atkinson around 8:30 a.m. because he was in an area behind a 'Private Property" sign. In a viral video, Atkinson was confronted by a police officer while he was picking up trash outside of his . . Boulder Police Officer John Smyly quit the police force after an investigation found he violated department policy when he drew his gun and attempted to detain 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson in March . 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. Based on the history of race relations and law enforcement in the United States, and the particular circumstances of the encounter, Mr. Atkinsons anger was justified. "There is a problem with law enforcement's interaction with minority communities.". University of Colorado Boulder Officer Drew Matthews (image via department) Under the anonymity of the internet, a University of Colorado Boulder police officer trolled . "Well I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all-white town," Atkinson said later. 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. Smyly had told the department he contacted Atkinson because of recent crime in the area but did not see what race he was when he first saw him. Zayd Atkinson, 26, told ABC News he's still fighting to overcome the "traumatic experience" of being racially profiled by Colorado police officers. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo . There are still liberal snowflakes trying to stir up indignation over the overblown drama of the Zayd Atkinson incident. Zayd Atkinson was among the more than 600 protesters in Boulder on Sunday who marched from . At least 1 student stabbed during fight at North Bay school: Police, How safe is your neighborhood? In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. 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. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. An independent review of the police investigation of an interaction between an officer and a black Naropa University student concluded the investigation met or exceeded standards and was right in finding no evidence of racial profiling. This wasn't enough for Officer Smyly. 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. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. 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. 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. Click here to read this article in its entirety at www.bouldercolorado.com, Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC The encounter led to allegations of racial profiling and police misconduct. Your email address will not be published. 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. Per Boulders charter, settlements over $10,000 have to be OKd by city council. Those are the statistics that bear on the Zayd Atkinson drama, in which no shots were fired, no Taser was deployed, no pepper spray was used, no tickets were issued, and no arrest was made. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Sam Lounsberry covers Longmont and the Carbon Valley. and his friend also told officers Atkinson was a . Meanwhile, Zayd said talk is cheap. Fax: 303-578-4401. Atkinson threatened to sue . Email your thoughts to, established a new citizen oversight group. Lawrences arrest came later and with less fanfare. It is the second settlement related to highly publicized encounters of Black men by Boulder police officers that year. An officer had drawn his gun as Atkinson picked up trash outside his dorm. The investigation was conducted by former U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer along with Michael Rankin and Robert Evans, both of Bluestone Investigative and Risk Solutions. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. 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). Box 21315 Boulder, CO 80301. Denver, Colorado 80205 The report released with the body camera footage noted the officer did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson, or probable cause to . Mr. Atkinson should not have been stopped. In the wake of the incident, Boulder City Council formed a committee to explore a police oversight committee. Officers in the two cases resigned from 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. The officer decided to self-initiate contact with Mr. Atkinson, According to the incident summary, the reason Smyly decided to monitor the student is that he saw Mr. Atkinson manipulating an unknown object in his left hand as he held it close to his mouth, prompting him to drive closer to Mr. Atkinson to see what he was doing.. I'm not doing anything illegal, and you're not going to f------ tase me," Atkinson said in the video. I'm blessed that I got out alive and unharmed," he said. Telephone: 303-578-4400 Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. 7On a seemingly normal morning in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his . 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. "I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all white town. "Give him his ID back and we're outta here," one of the officers is heard saying. 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. When demonstrators took to the . The officer eventually pulled out his gun and called for backup. Zayd Atkinson a university student of Naropa was held at gunpoint by 6-7 Caucasian Police Officers for simply picking up trash on his property. He asked Smyly if he would fire the weapon if he didnt put the trash grabber down. 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.. Click here to sign up for a weekly newsletter from Boulder Beat. https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/cijav8/officer_pulling_out_his_gun_on_a_student_outside/. 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. Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. Officer Smyly, an Anglo male, decided to question why Zayd Atkinson was there. This is one of those bad-apple cops the citizens of the country should keep track of. 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 . Boulder City Attorney Tom Carr and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday. . Mitchell Byars has been reporting for the Daily Camera since 2011, covering breaking news and courts. While no one was arrested, the police department launched an internal affairs investigation, and the city hired an outside investigator to review the incident.. 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 . The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. The body camera videos, the police reports . Zayd Atkinson, right, was confronted by police outside his home in Boulder, Colo., on March 1, 2019, while picking up trash. Atkinson." ", 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. "It was a frightening experience. SFC licensees. The city of Boulder said in a statement Thursday that officer John Smyly violated multiple department policies when he confronted Zayd Atkinson, 26, in March. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); copyright 2023. 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. 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. 2701 Lawrence Street, Suite 100 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 . The (Professional Standards Unit) investigation resulted in a complete, thorough, impartial report package, the independent report reads. The Boulder Police Department says the rules that were violated were conduct and violation of police authority and public trust. Smyly asked Atkinson if he was permitted to be in the location. The officer eventually pulled out his gun and called for backup. They said they didn't find any evidence of racial profiling. 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. Lawrence's arrest came later and with less fanfare. . The officer who confronted Atkinson resigned from the Boulder Police Department, and the Department enhanced oversight . The department issued a statement saying the "officer's decision to attempt to detain Mr. Atkinson was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, had committed, or was about to commit a crime, therefore he did not have authority to detain Mr. 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. Will Denver voters elect a mayor who will stop enabling homelessness. For more information, please see our 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. 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. "Boulder is essentially saying we're going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayd's life, for racially profiling Zayd," said Atkinson's attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. The settlement has been reported to be a sum of $125,000. Reporting Officer: SMYLY, J. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. Funny he changed his display name to John S., but didn't change the URL from his full name. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun.. "He's at home being paid for racially profiling Zayd for illegally stopping him and for threatening his life.". 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