When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. However, Smyly resigned before the investigation concluded. A video showing part of the scene went viral on the Internet, sparking outrage in the progressive Colorado city. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. Mr. Rathod is correct. October 1, 2020. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Under a settlement with the department, Mr Smyly will stay on the city payroll until February 2020. Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. What Smyly did should have incurred harsher charges but here we are. John Smiley was a Pitcher. This is a bucket. 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. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The incident happened on March 1 on the 2300 block of Arapahoe Avenue 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. Im picking up trash! Smyly then detained Atkinson for further investigation,which prompted Atkinson to grow frustrated. 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. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. Atkinson said he did, and Smyly asked for identification with the address on it. 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. Im picking up trash! 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. A white police officer who pulled out his gun during a heated confrontation with a black college student picking up trash outside his Colorado dorm is resigning and will continue to collect his paycheck for the next eight months, city officials said. All Rights Reserved. Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when there was no Google in Boulder. The city was being "disingenuous with the public" and "using taxpayer dollars to pay this officer," he added. At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Now, 15 years later, Miller is once again using documentary film as a vehicle for social change. TwoFeather. %PDF-1.6 % Read about our approach to external linking. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with . If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted, attorney Siddhartha Rathod told the newspaper. 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. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. Read about our approach to external linking. The man he tried to bully and intimidate, Zayde Atkinson, NEVER gave in. 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 . But none of those officers, including Smyly, pointed their weapons at Atkinson, the report found. The exchange between Officer Smyly and Mr. Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the Boulder Police Department nor the community Boulder desires to be, City Attorney Tom Carr said in a statement to the newspaper. 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. 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. We still have people who really believe that Boulder is just this perfect town, who believe that what happened to Zayd was an isolated incident, so I want to reach every single resident somehow, some way, Miller said. 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. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. 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 statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. An independent review conducted by former U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Bob Troyer will be released once its complete, which is expected to be next week. It was a frightening experience. 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. 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. 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. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March 2019. He is likely employed at a different police department at this time. We've received your submission. Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. Follow @dlchandler123 Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. 400 0 obj <> endobj "I don't have a weapon! 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. "I need to verify who you are," Smyly says. 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. WEST POINT, N.Y. Army head coach Jeff Monken is giving a history lesson. Such is the case of Boulder, Colo., police officer John Smyly over his interaction with Zayd Atkinson on March 1st this year. Smyly is resigning but will "exhaust" his paid leave. A white Colorado police officer who confronted a black man picking . City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinson's race. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. Atkinson responded by showing the officer his school identification card and telling him that he lived there. Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. The exchange between Officer Smyly and Mr. Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the Boulder Police Department nor the community Boulder desires to be, City Attorney Tom Carr said in a statement. 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. 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.. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. Smyly later said he believed his stun gun would be ineffective in subduing Atkinson because of the heavy coat he was wearing at the time, according to the report. 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. Maybe he got a suspicious call or saw something but things escalated. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!After about eight minutes, more Boulder police officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson.One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. CU ecologists are tracking down the surviving trees of the Front Ranges all but vanished apple orchards and priming a renewal. KQ)csp W,M=--I3&\(4lPb&[ Boulder Police Department's investigation found Mr Smyly had violated the department's rules on police authority, public trust and conduct. John Smiley was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft from Perkiomen School (Pennsburg, PA). 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. He will be on the city payroll until February 2020. 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. setTimeout( function() { A documentary at this year's Denver Film Festival is challenging the City of Boulder's inclusive reputation. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 0 In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. D.L. 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. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. 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 HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. 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. 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