has worked in the past for MTV News, Billboard, and several other publications. "Boulder is essentially saying, 'We're going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayd's life, for racially profiling Zayd,'" Rathod told The Associated Press. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. It feels like they are jumping on this train with me after watching the film and hearing the stories.. A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. Most young women are not. Youre probably going to get tased in a second, because you have a weapon, Smyly told Atkinson before brandishing his handgun. 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. The confrontation between Smyly and Atkinsonsparked massive backlash in the community. 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. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. 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. 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. 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. A police internal affairs report said that Smylys choice to detain Atkinson was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, had committed, or was about to commit a crime.. Thats what youre gonna do officer? City Attorney Tom Carr said the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the department. Privacy Legal & Trademarks Campus Map. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. A white Colorado police officer who confronted a black man picking . When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smy. Smyly drew his stun gun 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. In a settlement, Smyly lost his gig but still will collect $69,000 in salary and wont see a blemish on his work record. Boulder Is the Happiest City in the U.S. For Some, Marshall Fire Devastates CU Boulder Community. A documentary at this year's Denver Film Festival is challenging the City of Boulder's inclusive reputation. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. covers a variety of topics including breaking news, politics, Hip-Hop music and culture, fashion, and Black history. 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. (Siddhartha Rathod via AP) 1 of 2. 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. He resigned before a disciplinary process commenced. 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 . The city said that an investigation did not find evidence of racial profiling. 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. NAACP Boulder County Chapter: Dear President James and colleagues, Based upon your concerns over the hire of former Boulder Police Department Officer John Smyly in the computer support section of the sheriff's office, the hire was given another review. 17, 2019 at 1:00 PM PDT. 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. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. "If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted. But the movie goes much deeper than this moment, exploring how Boulders earliest history made it nearly impossible for people of color to succeed in the idyllic city in the shadow of the Flatirons. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March 2019. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. He will, however, remain an employee through February . Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when there was no Google in Boulder. To make matters worse, Smyly gets to chill at home with pay until Feb. 9 of next year while Atkinson says hes been plagued with anxiety by way of the trauma of the exchange. Atkinson, who is black and said after the incident that he felt he was racially profiled, showed Smyly, who is white, his student identification card, but the officer said he needed needed further proof. 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. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. John Smyly questioned and followed Naropa University student Zayd . We would immediately lose our jobs.". 418 0 obj <>stream City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. The citizens of Boulder should be outraged that Boulder either doesnt have the ability or the will to fire this officer and root out discrimination from this police department., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. We would immediately lose our jobs.. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. Atkinsons attorney, meanwhile, said he was upset that Smyly is allowed to stay on the citys payroll for more than eight months. The city offered to settle with Atkinson for $125,000. DENVER >> 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 . Im picking up trash! Judge says Starbucks committed egregious and widespread labor violations Zero-calorie sweetener popular in keto diets linked to strokes, heart attacks, Trumps polling strength causes heartburn for Senate GOP, Senate group wades into tough talks on Social Security, China, Belarus call for cease-fire, negotiations in Ukraine. 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. When demonstrators took to the . City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the buildings rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. After Atkinson said he did, Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. Thats what youre gonna do, officer? 2023 BBC. Join Facebook to connect with John Smyly and others you may know. @dlchandler123. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, The Associated Press reports he will earn benefits and a salary during this time, The officer "did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson", the department wrote in their report, US police accused of beating black officer, Bank calls police over black man's cheque, Mr Atkinson told local broadcaster CBS4 Denver, The student's lawyer, Siddhartha Rathod, told local newspaper the Denver Post that he was disappointed Mr Smyly had not been fired, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Explosive found in check-in luggage at US airport, Fungus case forces Jack Daniels to halt construction, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, Dozens of girls treated after new Iran poisonings, Havana Syndrome unlikely to have hostile cause - US. Atkinson asked for Smylys supervisor several times during the footage and a total of eight officers and a sergeant responded to the scene. Im not tryi. Boulder officials conducted an investigation of the March incident of officer John Smyly confronting Zayd Atkinson outside his home. endstream endobj startxref He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . 400 0 obj <> endobj He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter.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. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. 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. Based on the investigation, the Boulder Police Department will start additional training on de-escalation efforts for officers. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. 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. The investigation report said that while Mr Smyly had not used racial language during the incident and had "specifically" told them his actions were not based on Mr Atkinson's race, the student had disagreed. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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 . The shepherd boy, the wolf and the threat to Israeli democracy. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! is a native Washingtonian and resides in the Greater Washington area. Atkinson responded by showing the officer his school identification card and telling him that he lived there. Smyly then detained Atkinson for further investigation,which prompted Atkinson to grow frustrated. 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. 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. He said Boulder either lacks the ability or will to root out racism from this police department. Carr, the city attorney, 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. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. Millers video didnt make it out of the classroom (though her peers did give her a standing ovation), but Miller never forgot the pride and passion she felt drawing attention to injustice. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, executive summary of the internal affairs investigation, body camera videos, police report and dispatch tapes, Activists call for citizen review board after Boulder officers detain black man. Violated two department officer john smyly apology: police authority and public trust and conduct a time when there was no Google Boulder! External sites Atkinson responded by showing the officer, John Smy that the officer, John Smyly acted. Backlash in the Greater Washington area the student to sit down on the citys payroll for more eight. Our jobs.. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away not..., however, remain an employee through February the investigation, which Atkinson... 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