Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . 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. setTimeout( function() { 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. Mr Smyly attempted to detain Mr Atkinson . John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. A video showing part of the scene went viral on the Internet, sparking outrage in the progressive Colorado city. As Atkinson attempted to continue to pick up trash, Smyly told him, Youre probably going to get tased, and eventually pulled out his gun, claiming Atkinsons trash grabber could be used as a weapon. 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. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the buildings rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. 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 Watch live: White House monkeypox response team holds briefing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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 . 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. The city said that an investigation did not find evidence of racial profiling. 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. Despite the documentarys bleak outlook, the filmmakers remain optimistic, due in large part to the positive reception of the film so far. Officer John Smyly was allowed to resign. Facebook gives people the power to share. Atkinson echoed Rathod's remarks in an interview with Denver7. 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 . The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. I thought that once the firearm was out that that meant that he was going to try to kill me, Atkinson said. (Siddhartha Rathod via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The city added that Smyly resigned before the city concluded an investigation into the incident. 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. 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. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!. 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. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police . 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. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to . Join Facebook to connect with John Smyly and others you may know. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM / CBS Colorado. KQ)csp W,M=--I3&\(4lPb&[ Most young men are single. Drought, dry grass and gusting winds lead to wildfire. Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on that day, Officer John Smyly spotted Atkinson sitting in a partially enclosed patio area directly behind a "Private Property" sign and spoke to him to find out if he . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. "If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted. 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. 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. Atkinson asked for Smylys supervisor several times during the footage and a total of eight officers and a sergeant responded to the scene. 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. 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. . 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. Atkinson repeats he's provided his identification but Smyly wants more proof. Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. 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. Smyly is resigning but will "exhaust" his paid leave. Cellphone footage shot by a neighbor showed Smyly holding his firearm amid the confrontation. Mr. Atkinson turned, took out his ear buds, and asked what was going on. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Carr said investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct. 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. 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. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. 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. "If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. 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. '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'); Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. 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. 1202 University Avenue, 459 UCB 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. While we have no proof racial bias was a motivating factor, the internal affairs investigation resulted in sustained violations of police policies.. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. When demonstrators took to the streets to show support for Atkinson and protest racism, the filmmakers grabbed their cameras and got to work. Officer John Smyly. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. 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. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. 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. 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. Mr Smyly called for backup because Mr Atkinson was "unwilling to put down a blunt object". The Boulder City Council has also created a task force to study police oversight. [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. May 16, 2019, 9:54 PM. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. Smyly asked for Atkinsons date of birth. If you know what department Smyly is working it, please email that information to realjamesfreeman@gmail.com, so I can publicly publish that information, warning potential new victims.ID Refusal by Boulder Colorado man, Zayde Atkinson results in threats and officer John Smyly brandishing a fire arm.email videos you want covered on this channel to Realjamesfreeman@gmail.com James Freeman does first amendment audits, cop watching, cop blocking, and more. And then you see if it can help galvanize dialogue and maybe some positive action., Photos stills fromThis Is Not Who We Are, Coloradan Magazine 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. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. 418 0 obj <>stream 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 . 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. 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. 400 0 obj <> endobj He currently heads the SPIRIT.ED column for Cassius Life, which focuses on adult beverages and their history. He said Boulder either lacks the ability or will to root out racism from this police department. 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. He will be on the city payroll until February 2020. 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. 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. This is 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. 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 . Mr. Rathod is correct. 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. 17, 2019 at 1:00 PM PDT. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Associated Press / May 17, 2019. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. 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