Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . 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. Recordings emerged of Greene referring to deputies in his department as "Black bastards" and "snakes.". The student's lawyer, Siddhartha Rathod, told local newspaper the Denver Post that he was disappointed Mr Smyly had not been fired and would still be paid. 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. 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. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. He said he has had trouble sleeping since and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. Such is the case of Boulder, Colo., police officer John Smyly over his interaction with Zayd Atkinson on March 1st this year. That morning, John Smyly, a Boulder police officer, was driving around the area of Folsom Street and . 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. View the profiles of people named John Smyly. Police body camera footage released Thursday . Mr Smyly attempted to detain Mr Atkinson . In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. City officials said the investigation could not prove that Smyly acted because of Atkinsons race. 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. City Attorney Tom Carr said firing Smyly would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. covers a variety of topics including breaking news, politics, Hip-Hop music and culture, fashion, and Black history. Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. Boulder Is the Happiest City in the U.S. For Some, Marshall Fire Devastates CU Boulder Community. 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. Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when there was no Google in Boulder. The independent review, conducted by former U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, Bob Troyer, will soon be released by the city. 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 . It was a frightening experience. Privacy Legal & Trademarks Campus Map. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. Smyly, a 14-year vet with no history of . Smyly is resigning but will "exhaust" his paid leave. In a settlement, Smyly lost his gig but still will collect $69,000 in salary and wont see a blemish on his work record. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. Published: May. . Thats what youre gonna do, officer? 1202 University Avenue, 459 UCB By Breanna . On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! Kazeem Oyeneyin answers the door at his home in Raleigh, N.C., on Aug. 17. "If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. 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. @dlchandler123. The findings likely would have resulted in suspension or possible termination, according to the department. 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 . The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . A white Colorado police officer who confronted a black man picking . We would immediately lose our jobs.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.Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. 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 . Mr Atkinson told local broadcaster CBS4 Denver he was glad Officer Smyly was "being held accountable for something but it seems like it's just bare minimum things". Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. 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. hbbd```b``>"gk`G`vd "Y rdle`bd`u$300 * 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. Stop!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.Smyly drew his Taser 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. Associated Press / May 17, 2019. All Rights Reserved. A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. "That just pisses me off that my tax money is going there to this guy to hang out for a year after breaking the law and breaching my rights," Atkinson said. Mr Smyly called for backup because Mr Atkinson was "unwilling to put down a blunt object". At one point, eight police officers were surrounding Atkinson, but they eventually left after confirming Atkinson did indeed live in the building as he claimed. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. 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. 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. 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. Atkinsons attorney, meanwhile, said he was upset that Smyly is allowed to stay on the citys payroll for more than eight months. By Ben Kesslen. Newly-released . 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. 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. D.L. 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. During the incident the man gave officers his university ID and said repeatedly that he lived and worked at the shared occupancy building. Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. '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'); Film is the tool you can use to help other people say what they need to say, said Strong. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. 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. But none of those officers, including Smyly, pointed their weapons at Atkinson, the report found. The city of Bouldersaid in a statement Thursday that officer John Smyly violated multiple department policies when heconfrontedZayd Atkinson, 26, in March. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. It's like Live PD, except actually live, and without the \"cops can do no wrong\" bias.music in this videoLove Is Blind (Instrumental Version) - Coma Svenssonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u78BBpHcz44Wasted Education - Blue Topazhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqmKzeeDj54 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. 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. We've received your submission. Under a settlement with the department, Mr Smyly will stay on the city payroll until February 2020. John Smiley was a Pitcher. 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. Im picking up trash, and youre holding a gun!. }, 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. After about eight minutes, more officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson. Atkinson echoed Rathod's remarks in an interview with Denver7. %PDF-1.6 % The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. The Boulder County Sheriff complaint line - 303-441-1759 What Smyly did should have incurred harsher charges but here we are. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct, the city attorney said. While we have no proof racial bias was a motivating factor, the internal affairs investigation resulted in sustained violations of police policies.. "I need to verify who you are," Smyly says. 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. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. KATHLEEN FOODY. John Smyly questioned and followed Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson near his home in Boulder. 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. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WYFF-TV. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. 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 . Atkinson asked for Smylys supervisor several times during the footage and a total of eight officers and a sergeant responded to the scene. 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. 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. Its a facilitation. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. Officer quits after pulling gun on black college student picking up trash outside dorm. Learn more about John S.'s . The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to tase him. Im picking up trash! 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. 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. Mr. Atkinson turned, took out his ear buds, and asked what was going on. Officer Smyly got his attention and asked him to stop. When demonstrators took to the . 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