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. Boulder officials conducted an investigation of the March incident of officer John Smyly confronting Zayd Atkinson outside his home. 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. May 16, 2019, 9:54 PM. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the buildings rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. Youre probably going to get tased in a second, because you have a weapon, Smyly told Atkinson before brandishing his handgun. More from The Latest Hip-Hop News, Music and Media | Hip-Hop Wired, Your email will be shared with hiphopwired.com and subject to its, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Loses Reelection Bid, Larsa Pippen Shares She Hung Out With Her Beaus Dad Michael Jordan, Dreamville & Daily Paper Launch Dream Daily Collection. City Attorney Tom Carr said firing Smyly would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police . Smyly is a 14-year department veteran was found in violation of two department policies. 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. Atkinson and BPD patrol officer John Smyly (and, subsequently, other responding officers) ("the Incident"). More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. is a native Washingtonian and resides in the Greater Washington area. CU ecologists are tracking down the surviving trees of the Front Ranges all but vanished apple orchards and priming a renewal. 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. KQ)csp W,M=--I3&\(4lPb&[ This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This is a clamp.. ", US police detain black man picking rubbish, Human error to blame for train crash - Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. "If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. 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. "I need to verify who you are," Smyly says. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM / CBS Colorado. View the profiles of people named John Smyly. 2023 BBC. A Colorado police officer who detained a black man picking up trash in his yard is resigning after being found in violation of department policies. 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. 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. 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.. 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 . 17, 2019 at 1:00 PM PDT. City officials said the investigation could not prove that Smyly acted because of Atkinsons race. On body-camera footage the city released Thursday, Atkinson can be heard saying, Im a student, I live here Im doing my job.. This is a bucket! The film "This Is Not Who We Are" includes the testimonials of several black Boulder . (Siddhartha Rathod via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinson's race. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. The officer "did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson", the department wrote in their report. The findings likely would have resulted in suspension or possible termination, according to the department. Department rule 8 (Conduct): Members use reasonable judgment and refrain from conduct which reflects unfavorably on the department. Stop!. But an independent review of the confrontation found no impropriety in the procedures . Atkinson then raised his voice, causing the officer to become threatened by the trash grabber, according to the report. Follow @dlchandler123 Simon and Sally Glass say findings vindicate their belief that their son was murdered by Clear Creek County sheriff's deputies. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof.Smyly next asked for Atkinsons date of birth. 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. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. They left after determining that Atkinson had a right to be on the 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. Film is the tool you can use to help other people say what they need to say, said Strong. Atkinsons attorney, meanwhile, said he was upset that Smyly is allowed to stay on the citys payroll for more than eight months. What Smyly did should have incurred harsher charges but here we are. 'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.async=true;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs'); 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. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. Smyly asked for Atkinsons date of birth. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . Stop!. The report released with the video 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. A white Colorado police officer has resigned after being caught on video drawing his gun on a black man who said he was picking up trash at his property. When demonstrators took to the streets to show support for Atkinson and protest racism, the filmmakers grabbed their cameras and got to work. Mr. Rathod is correct. Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. 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 Sheriff's Office . Police body camera footage released Thursday provided a full video account of . We would immediately lose our jobs.. John Smiley was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft from Perkiomen School (Pennsburg, PA). 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. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smy. 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. Watch live: White House monkeypox response team holds briefing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Mr. Atkinson turned, took out his ear buds, and asked what was going on. He said he has had trouble sleeping since and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him.My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said.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.City officials said the investigation could not prove that Smyly acted because of Atkinsons race. Mr Smyly called for backup because Mr Atkinson was "unwilling to put down a blunt object". Video of the incident from Smyly's body camera shows him detaining . 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. Oyeneyin was handcuffed and detained in his own home after police responded to a burglar alarm in process. Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when there was no Google in Boulder. . Trump successfully chilled FBI from being willing to investigate anything Christie: Trump grand jury foreperson did a lot of damage to case, Bill Maher: I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level. Smyly, a 14-year vet with no history of . Police body camera footage released Thursday . 418 0 obj <>stream Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Associated Press / May 17, 2019. }, 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. 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. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. It feels like they are jumping on this train with me after watching the film and hearing the stories.. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!. We would immediately lose our jobs.". WEST POINT, N.Y. Army head coach Jeff Monken is giving a history lesson. 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. Supervised 25 different police officer trainees, evaluating job performance and developing training plans to encourage professional growth and improve deficiencies. 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. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . 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. But none of those officers, including Smyly, pointed their weapons at Atkinson, the report found. 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. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. "I don't have a weapon! Kazeem Oyeneyin answers the door at his home in Raleigh, N.C., on Aug. 17. Video shows Smyly approaching Atkinson in a partially enclosed patio area behind a private property sign, prompting the officer to ask if the man had a right to be there. 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. It was a frightening experience. Im picking up trash! We've received your submission. TwoFeather. D.L. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, How 10% of Nigerian registered voters delivered victory, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! It can be a great influencer, and Ive always known that there are certain issues in the world I want to address and the best medium to do that, for me, was film.. After about eight minutes, more officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson. 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. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Join Facebook to connect with John Smyly and others you may know. Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. window.addEventListener( 'loadOrInteraction', function() { "If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted. 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. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. 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. 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. "If they don't have the ability to terminate racist officers, that's Boulder's problem not taxpayers' problem," Rathod said, pointing to new data that showed black and African-American people in Boulder were more than twice as likely to be arrested during a routine police stop than their white counterparts. Now, the creators are fielding requests to screen the film in Boulder and beyond; theyre also creating accompanying study guides to help people understand and discuss the themes depicted in the film. 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 . 0 Atkinson said he did, and Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. While we have no proof racial bias was a motivating factor, the internal affairs investigation resulted in sustained violations of police policies.. Officer John Smyly was allowed to resign. Facebook gives people the power to share. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. 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 Atkinson responded by showing the officer his school identification card and telling him that he lived there. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. 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 . Recordings emerged of Greene referring to deputies in his department as "Black bastards" and "snakes.". 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. John Smyly questioned and followed Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson near his home in Boulder. Im picking up trash! A documentary at this year's Denver Film Festival is challenging the City of Boulder's inclusive reputation. 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. 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. Embattled NC sheriff resigns again before DA details accusations against him in court. 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. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. I have practiced law for over 28 years, 14 of those years as a federal prosecutor and . When Zayde continues to refuse to be John Smyly's b****, Smyly brandished a fire arm to try to further intimidate his victim into compliance. Smylys resignation comes more than two months after he and other officers confronted Atkinson,a student at Naropa University, at the patio area of his apartment, according to ABC News. Officer John Smyly. Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Now, 15 years later, Miller is once again using documentary film as a vehicle for social change. Maybe he got a suspicious call or saw something but things escalated. 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. Colorado police confront man picking up trash on his lawn. 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. Under a settlement with the department, Mr Smyly will stay on the city payroll until February 2020. 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 Boulder City Council has also created a task force to study police oversight. 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. Smyly reportedly asked Atkinson if he was permitted to be at the location. 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. "I don't have a weapon. All Rights Reserved. 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. In a settlement, Smyly lost his gig but still will collect $69,000 in salary and wont see a blemish on his work record. We do urge caution as this video could trigger some. And then you make it beautiful, you hope, so that lots of people are moved by it and want to engage with it. During the incident the man gave officers his university ID and said repeatedly that he lived and worked at the shared occupancy building. Watch: Police confront black man in his own yard. %PDF-1.6 % PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. 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 officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. [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. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. 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. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. 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. Despite the documentarys bleak outlook, the filmmakers remain optimistic, due in large part to the positive reception of the film so far. 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. 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. (Siddhartha Rathod via AP) 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. However, Smyly resigned before the investigation concluded. One officer drew his handgun when he arrived but reholstered it in less than a minute, while Smyly had his gun out until Atkinson put the trash-grabbing tool down, according to the summary. The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. 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. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . 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. 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. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. . When demonstrators took to the . The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. A big reason why I got into film and video is because of the storytelling aspect, said Miller. Im not tryi. Everyone really needs to open their eyes to all the truths of their community so we can fix it.. Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. We do not know the motive of the officer on why he approached this black man. D.L. The city added that Thats what youre gonna do, officer? 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