Covering City Council and Sundry, with flair, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022 (Updated Tuesday, Jan. 4). approval of past meeting minu, which historically does not receive discussion. The officer eventually pulled out his gun and called for backup. Atkinson walked away, the subject officer followed from a distance. This wasn't enough for Officer Smyly. Atkinson repeats he's provided his identification but Smyly wants more proof. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting , the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda. Smyly drew his stun gun and then his handgun as he felt threatened by the trash grabber Atkinson was using. Investigations into both incidents were subject toindependent reviewdue to high community interest. Atkinison sued, and in March of 2020 he was awarded $125,000 in a settlement with the City of Boulder. The investigation found officer John Smyly violated two department policies and determined: The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. . Examined. Boulder is set to issue a $125,000 settlement payment to Zayd Atkinson, the black Naropa University student who was confronted by a now-former city police officer last year while picking up trash outside his school housing unit. 7On a seemingly normal morning in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his . PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. On March 1, 2019, Boulder Police Officer John Smyly stopped and questioned Zayd Atkinson while he was working in front of the building in which he lived. We should know where he is and if he's allowed to work as a cop or in a field that requires public trust. Boulder police said there is no evidence Atkinson was racially profiled. Hogwash! It stated that he is a student at Naropa University. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. Was there a perspective we missed, or facts we didnt consider? "Officers ultimately determined that the man had a legal right to be on the property and returned the mans school identification card," the department said in a statement last month. Zayd Atkinson is a Black university student who was asked for identification by police to prove that he lived at his home while taking out his own trash. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash on his property and had not committed a crime. 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. While the report said Atkinson was justified in his confusion and frustration, it said at no point in the entire incident did anyone use racial language, slurs or innuendo.. Boulder Beat. Your email address will not be published. All of the additional officers responding reported that they believed this to be a serious situation because of what they knew from the radio traffic, the report states. He found none. However, the internal affairs investigation included a review of a video from a building-mounted camera, which revealed Atkinson was eating food and using his mobile phone. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. Reporting Officer: SMYLY, J. Zayd Atkinson speaks before Boulder City Council on March 18, 2019, about how he was treated by the Boulder Police officers while picking up trash in his own yard. According to city records included in Lawrences lawsuit, Lolotai used force on residents 81 times between January 2017 and June 2020, including using his firearm to gain compliance 38 times. Per Boulders charter, settlements over $10,000 have to be OKd by city council. May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM Once the additional officers who arrived assessed the situation, they used appropriate de-escalation techniques and left. Outside review validated BPDs procedures. According to the police report, Smyly asked Atkinson if he lived there and Atkinson said he did, and provided his Naropa student ID. Help make the Beat better. But with the question about which specific unit he lived in, Mr. Atkinson paused, looked around, and began to become exasperated.. 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Atkinson and the city are settling any potential claims arising from this interaction so that the parties may focus on the continued healing of both the community and Mr. Atkinson, the statement read. Mr. Zayd Atkinson, an African American student at Naropa University, was picking up garbage on his own property when he was swarmed by gun-wielding police officers harassing and threatening him. This report is an executive summary of a personnel investigation into the allegation of serious misconduct involving a Boulder Police Officer. He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . HuffPost reports that Officer John Smyly violated two department policies when confronted Zayd Atkinson, including public trust and conduct. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo . Smyly updated dispatch that Mr. Atkinson was failing to comply and had a blunt metal object, referring to the trash grabber, in his hands, the report states. and our "There are instances like this where people don't come out alive. The body camera videos, the police reports . The situation -- which was captured on video -- drew criticism for what student Zayd Atkinson said was an instance of racial profiling. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda. approval of past meeting minu Want more stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox? Mr. Atkinson and the City are settling any potential claims arising from this interaction so that the parties may focus on the continued healing of both the community and Mr. Atkinson. University of Colorado Boulder Officer Drew Matthews (image via department) Under the anonymity of the internet, a University of Colorado Boulder police officer trolled . Smyly called in for a cover car and told Atkinson he was obstructing a police officer and was detaining him and investigating him for trespass. April 15, 2022, 9:13am. First published on May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM. Colorado police officer John Smyly who pulled his gun on Zayd Atkinson, a student at Naropa University picking up trash in front of his apartment building, has resigned. According to Boulder Police Department, the officer approached Zayd Atkinson around 8:30 a.m. because he was in an area behind a 'Private Property" sign. but it can also be stressful. Mar. Original Post: . The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . The police internal investigation concluded Smyly violated department policy during the encounter with Atkinson, and the independent report backed those conclusions, saying Smyly made some pivotal mistakes including asking for Atkinsons date of birth when he was not entitled to that information and mistakenly believing he had reasonable suspicion that a crime was occurring. Video and reports of the incident, during which Atkinson was repeatedly asked for identification showing he lived at . Atkinson." Backup officers who were called to the scene and led by a sergeant quickly determined that Mr. Atkinson lived in the building and was engaged in his work study job. According to a news release earlier this month, a Boulder police officer saw a man, now identified as Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson, sitting in a partially enclosed patio area directly . Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Sam Lounsberry covers Longmont and the Carbon Valley. Funny he changed his display name to John S., but didn't change the URL from his full name. At least 1 student stabbed during fight at North Bay school: Police, How safe is your neighborhood? Answer (1 of 9): "What probable cause did police have when they attempted to investigate Zayd Atkinson, a student at Naropa University, when he was picking up trash outside of his dorm?" I wonder, Dear Questioner, why you believe "probable cause" is the standard needed for a police officer to st. Denver, Colorado 80205 Boulder is set to issue a $125,000 settlement payment to Zayd Atkinson, the black Naropa University student who was confronted by a now-former city police officer last year while picking up trash outside his school housing unit. "It definitely brings fear to my heart knowing that some people don't survive. We would immediately lose our jobs." A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. ", 2 teen girls arrested in SF scooter attack, police say, Doctor urges that heart health be a year-round priority, Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid pressure to slash costs. The settlement has been reported to be a sum of $125,000. James Harden surprises fan paralyzed in MSU shooting with FaceTime call and donation, 2 million air fryers recalled due to fire and burn hazards, Students speak out about bullying after fellow student dies by suicide, Digital Deals & Steals celebrating women-owned businesses, (MORE: Charlottesville schools closed over 'racially charged' online threat), (MORE: Colorado police under investigation after viral video shows them pulling guns on black man), (MORE: After blacks kicked off juries, Mississippi man claims racial bias at Supreme Court), (MORE: Man charged after screaming racial slurs, wielding gun on video). Other officers arrived on scene and a standoff ensued. Mitchell Byars has been reporting for the Daily Camera since 2011, covering breaking news and courts. 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 city of Boulder stated, that while the finding likely would have resulted in suspension or possibly termination, Officer Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process., John Smylys resignation agreement with the city was negotiated by City Attorney Tom Carr, who explained that the resignation immediately removes Officer Smyly from law enforcement and prevents his reinstatement to the Boulder Police Department., Get the top DEI news delivered straight to your inbox, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 23, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 17, Race, Homelessness and the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility, How Companies Are Celebrating Black History Month, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 9. Zayd Atkinson was among the more than 600 protesters in Boulder on Sunday who marched from . While the stop itself was wrong, some things were done right during the encounter itself. They unanimously approved the payout Tuesday. Smyly had told the department he contacted Atkinson because of recent crime in the area but did not see what race he was when he first saw him. I thoroughly believe I was profiled," Atkinson said. Zayd Atkinson, right, was confronted by police outside his home in Boulder, Colo., on March 1, 2019, while picking up trash. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun.. The statement did not release any terms of the settlement. The body camera videos, the police reports . Click here to sign up for a weekly newsletter, from Boulder Beat. 2011, covering breaking news and courts identification showing he lived at definitely brings fear to my heart that... Atkinson walked away, the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda police said is! 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