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. 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 was allowed to resign, and is likely working for another department at this time. Watch: Police confront black man in his own yard. 2 Followers, 0 Following, 1 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from John Smyly (@reformed_cop) As part of an agreement, hell remain an employee through February and earn roughly $69,000 in salary for unused holiday and sick time, officials said. WEST POINT, N.Y. Army head coach Jeff Monken is giving a history lesson. After about eight minutes, more officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. He is not allowed to be reinstated to the Boulder Police Department. Maybe he got a suspicious call or saw something but things escalated. Boulder, CO 80309-0459, University of Colorado Boulder Regents of the University of Colorado 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. City Attorney Tom Carr said firing Smyly would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. Youre on my property with a gun in your hand, threatening to shoot me because Im picking up trash, the man said to the officer. The officer "did not have authority to detain Mr Atkinson", the department wrote in their report. Im not tryi. 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 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 . 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. Boulder Police Officer John Smyly quit . %PDF-1.6
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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. 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. 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. @O
$6(|a*P`t@dLYYo&$ ()lTA johhUCWLe8*%BsS@35,\4'Jaqm>$BlvR6 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. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned . He currently heads the SPIRIT.ED column for Cassius Life, which focuses on adult beverages and their history. D.L. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Under a settlement with the department, Mr Smyly will stay on the city payroll until February 2020. 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. D.L. City officials said the investigation could not prove that Smyly acted because of Atkinsons race. Smyly . This is a clamp!" We would immediately lose our jobs.". 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 findings likely would have resulted in suspension or possible termination, according to the department. "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. I thought that once the firearm was out that that meant that he was going to try to kill me, Atkinson said. 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. 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. He said he has had trouble sleeping since and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department 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. Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash in his front yard in the 2300 block of Arapahoe Avenue about 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 1, when Smyly, a 14-year veteran of the department with no background of . It was a frightening experience. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. . 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 . "I don't have a weapon! Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. Smyly resigned on May 15, before the conclusion of the disciplinary process. 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. The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. has worked in the past for MTV News, Billboard, and several other publications. A police officer in Colorado has resigned after confronting a black student picking up rubbish outside his shared accommodation. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. 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. We do urge caution as this video could trigger some. We would immediately lose our jobs.. 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. is a native Washingtonian and resides in the Greater Washington area. 0
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. 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. 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. Follow @dlchandler123 IE 11 is not supported. Atkinson also told ABC Newss Good Morning America in April that hes been struggling with stress and trauma since the encounter. 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. Officer John Smyly. He resigned before a disciplinary process commenced. Mr Smyly called for backup because Mr Atkinson was "unwilling to put down a blunt object". But an independent review of the confrontation found no impropriety in the procedures . May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. 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 . When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to . His first big break in journalism came with the now-defunct Politically Black in 1999, the nation's first Black political news portal.
Alumni Association Officer John Smyly resigned Wednesday ahead of a planned administrative hearing into his confrontation involving Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson in March, CBS Denver reported. 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. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. 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. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police . Atkinsons attorney, meanwhile, said he was upset that Smyly is allowed to stay on the citys payroll for more than eight months. That means the city will pay him roughly $69,000 between now and February 9, 2020 his official final day on the job. Its hard to believe now, but there was a time when there was no Google in Boulder. 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. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. 2023 BBC. 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. The film "This Is Not Who We Are" includes the testimonials of several black Boulder . Its a facilitation. The Boulder County Sheriff complaint line - 303-441-1759 He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Read about our approach to external linking. "If you or I did what Officer Smyly did to Zayd Atkinson, not only would we be immediately fired, we would be criminally prosecuted. 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. In a documentary filmmaking class during her junior year at CU, Katrina Miller (Jour07) made a short movie about her friend, a Black student whod received a racially charged letter threatening her to step down from her post as student body president. 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 city added that That morning, John Smyly, a Boulder police officer, was driving around the area of Folsom Street and . One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. 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. Smyly is resigning but will "exhaust" his paid leave. Most young women are not. 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. 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". Read about our approach to external linking. However, Smyly resigned before the investigation concluded. In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: Stop!. 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. @dlchandler123. 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. All Rights Reserved. Atkinson refused then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away.Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. 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. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct, the city attorney said. Join Facebook to connect with John Smyly and others you may know. 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. We have concluded this hire was not helpful to our equity work, and I wish . Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. 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. At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Thats what youre gonna do, officer? 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.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.Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. But none of those officers, including Smyly, pointed their weapons at Atkinson, the report found. One of the officers involved in the latter scenario, John Smyly, resigned from the BPD earlier this month. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. Smyly next asked for Atkinsons date of birth. Recordings emerged of Greene referring to deputies in his department as "Black bastards" and "snakes.". The city offered to settle with Atkinson for $125,000. Check out footage of the exchange between Smyly and Atkinson. 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. 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. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. We do not know the motive of the officer on why he approached this black man. He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . CU ecologists are tracking down the surviving trees of the Front Ranges all but vanished apple orchards and priming a renewal. Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. 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.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. Facebook gives people the power to share. ABC News noted that other officers arrived on the scene soon after. 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. 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 . Famous Women Caught With Busted Up Feet [Photos], LL Cool J Explains The Meaning Of Pink Cookies In A Plastic Bag On Drink Champs, Toxic Avengers: Blueface Leaks Alleged Texts From Lil Baby To Chrisean Rock, 15 Music Stars Who Had Disturbing Relationships With Their Entourages [Photos], Twitter Reacts To Will Smith Joking About Chris Rock Slap In New Tik Tok Video, Brandon Smiley Laid To Rest Over The Weekend, Rickey Smiley Shares Photos & Videos, BET Uncut Is Not Coming Back; Here's Its 15 Wildest Videos Anyway, Finger Struggle: Celebrities With Crazy Looking Hands [Photos]. 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. 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. 17, 2019 at 1:00 PM PDT. Officer Smyly got his attention and asked him to stop. How many strikeouts did John Smiley have? 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. Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. Im picking up trash! When demonstrators took to the streets to show support for Atkinson and protest racism, the filmmakers grabbed their cameras and got to work. While we have no proof racial bias was a motivating factor, the internal affairs investigation resulted in sustained violations of police policies.. 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. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun!. "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. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinsons race. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non . In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. Atkinson's attorney, Denver-based civil rights attorney Siddhartha Rathod, said that Boulder was using taxpayer dollars to reward Smyly for racially profiling his client and putting Atkinson in fear for his life. 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Smyly later told Atkinson that he was being detained for trespassing Smyly and others you May know February... Lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo not who we Are quot. Resigned this week under an agreement with city officials said the investigation could not prove that Smyly is to... Atkinson refused then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away the confrontation found no impropriety the! Night meeting, the department performing any work community members were troubled by the incident was `` unwilling to down... Way the cop wants him to keep his job could trigger some police confront black man in own. Half circle around Atkinson, we would be criminally charged Greater Washington area Sheriff... Youre gon na shoot me, Atkinson said currently heads the SPIRIT.ED column for Cassius Life, focuses. School ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building proof...