[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. Supervised 25 different police officer trainees, evaluating job performance and developing training plans to encourage professional growth and improve deficiencies. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. 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 independent review, conducted by former U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, Bob Troyer, will soon be released by the city. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. 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. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. City Attorney Tom Carr said the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the department. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March 2019. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non . hbbd```b``>"gk`G`vd "Y rdle`bd`u$300 * Atkinson refused then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away.Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. endstream endobj 401 0 obj <. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. 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. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role on May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. A video showing part of the scene went viral on the Internet, sparking outrage in the progressive Colorado city. WEST POINT, N.Y. Army head coach Jeff Monken is giving a history lesson. A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . BOULDER, Colo. One of the Boulder police officers who confronted a black man as he was picking up trash in his yard has been found to be in violation of department policies and has resigned . 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. According to the summary, one officer drew his handgun when he arrived but re-holstered it in less than a minute while Smyly had his gun out until Atkinson put the trash-grabbing tool down. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Officer Smyly got his attention and asked him to stop. Youre probably going to get tased in a second, because you have a weapon, Smyly told Atkinson before brandishing his handgun. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. (Siddhartha Rathod via AP) 1 of 2. A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. Atkinson asked for Smylys supervisor several times during the footage and a total of eight officers and a sergeant responded to the scene. 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 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. When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to tase him. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. Atkinson also told ABC Newss Good Morning America in April that hes been struggling with stress and trauma since the encounter. 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 March 1, 2019, back when few mainstream politicians used the term "systemic racism" while discussing law enforcement aimed at people of color, Boulder Police officer John Smyly starred in a . Colorado police confront man picking up trash on his lawn. 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. 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. Officer Smyly drew his gun and called in backup during the confrontation in March. KQ)csp W,M=--I3&\(4lPb&[ The confrontation between Smyly and Atkinsonsparked massive backlash in the community. 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. 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. Officer quits after pulling gun on black college student picking up trash outside dorm. 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. Smyly is resigning but will "exhaust" his paid leave. 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. 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. The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. 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. Department rule 8 (Conduct): Members use reasonable judgment and refrain from conduct which reflects unfavorably on the department. While we have no proof racial bias was a motivating factor, the internal affairs investigation resulted in sustained violations of police policies.. 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. Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. 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. 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 . A Colorado police officer, John Smyly resigned after an incident he had with a local resident where he approached this black man who was picking up trash around the residency he lived at. Atkinson refused then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. We've received your submission. He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . Smyly is a 14-year department veteran was found in violation of two department policies. Mr Smyly attempted to detain Mr Atkinson . 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. Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. Under a settlement with the department, Mr Smyly will stay on the city payroll until February 2020. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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 Drought, dry grass and gusting winds lead to wildfire. 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. 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 . Everyone really needs to open their eyes to all the truths of their community so we can fix it.. 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. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. After about eight minutes, more 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. 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 . hb```*f Atkinsons attorney, meanwhile, said he was upset that Smyly is allowed to stay on the citys payroll for more than eight months. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. %PDF-1.6 % Boulder police launch an internal investigation after a video surfaces showing officers confronting an African American man picking up trash in Boulder, Colorado. Recordings emerged of Greene referring to deputies in his department as "Black bastards" and "snakes.". Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. 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. May 16, 2019, 9:54 PM. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. 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.. The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. 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 . Smyly violated police authority and public trust and conduct, according to the review process that wouldve likely ended in his suspension or termination had he not already resigned from the department, police told the newspaper. 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 city was being "disingenuous with the public" and "using taxpayer dollars to pay this officer," he added. Atkinson and BPD patrol officer John Smyly (and, subsequently, other responding officers) ("the Incident"). He is likely employed at a different police department at this time. We would immediately lose our jobs.. In a settlement, Smyly lost his gig but still will collect $69,000 in salary and wont see a blemish on his work record. The Boulder City Council has also created a task force to study police oversight. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! Read about our approach to external linking. 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. But an independent review of the confrontation found no impropriety in the procedures . Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. 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. These four House Republicans broke with the GOP to oppose inflation estimates McCarthy, GOP pump brakes on release of Jan. 6 footage to Tucker Carlson. 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. 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. Smyly . In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. 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