as they address charges against an Oak Lawn police officer Feb. 15, 2023. . Im not tryi. According to the report, Smyly asked Atkinson if he lived there. Smyly was hired by the sheriffs office in January on a two-year term position as a civilian training and development coordinator in the sheriffs computer support unit. Such is the case of Boulder, Colo., police officer John Smyly over his interaction with Zayd Atkinson on March 1st this year. In the body camera footage, Atkinson can be seen several times walking away from Smyly, with Smyly following after him and ordering him to sit down. . Smyly told dispatchers Atkinson was failing to comply and had a blunt metal object, which resulted in eight officers and a sergeant responding to the scene. The Moving can be an exciting experience. When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. Here's what else is happening today. Not today.. 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. ", "I just told you I lived here and I told you that I'm working as well," 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson responded. We looked at this through the lens of safety and exposure. Lance Storz, 50, was found dead of an apparent suicide Tuesday morning at the Pike County Detention Center, where he was being held on three murder charges, Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt said Tuesday. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, a black man confronted by a Boulder police officer. Smyly approached Atkinson on March 1 in front of the. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role on May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. Officer John Smyly was among the Boulder Police Department members who rousted Naropa student Zayd Atkinson for picking up trash at his own home in March 2019. Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. The officer allegedly struck a Bridgeview teen more than 10 times in the face and head as he was laying face down in the street during an arrest captured on video last July. 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 . "How do you feel, officer? Newly-released body camera video shows how it all started. Smyly approached Atkinson on foot, and saw that he was using a long metal claw to pick up trash and put it in a bucket. 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. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. We looked at this through the lens of safety and exposure. Its the day after Election Day. City Attorney Tom Carr said firing Smyly would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. 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. Gen Z Voices: Attending school on a tribal reservation, and outside of it, led Aidan Gover to discover the disparities in education. The city of Boulder is paying this officer nearly $80,000 for violating the constitutional rights of Zayd. Read more here. I am not normally involved in hiring decisions. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Our newsletters bring you a closer look at the stories that affect you and the music that inspires you. At about 8:20 a.m., Smyly was in his patrol car when he saw Atkinson "from a distance" at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. "manipulating an unknown object in his left hand." Smyly drove closer and observed. The other responding officers were cleared of any wrongdoing by the report, but the department said the encounter has uncovered the need for further training. At this point, 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. 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 collect $69,000 in salary despite violating department policies. He is originally from Hawaii and enjoys the beach, camping, golf, beer and writing third-person bios about himself that exaggerate how outdoorsy he is. This was a temporary, non-enforcement job with no public contact or representation. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. TV Q&A: Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York? But an independent review of the confrontation found no impropriety in the procedures . John Smyly has been working as a Officer John at Boulder Valley School District for 9 years. As part of a settlement with the city, Smyly will resign from the police department today but will remain under city employment until February 2020 as he exhausts accrued holiday, sick and administrative leave. He will leave as soon as possible, When our staff interviewed the candidates for this term position, Some understood the past controversy in his role as a, city police officer, so they brought this decision to some of our executive staff members, including, discussion. Embattled NC sheriff resigns again before DA details accusations against him in court. At this point, 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. Officers were able to talk to Atkinson and a Naropa employee who responded to the scene and confirmed Atkinson was a student and lived in the building. The footage shows Smyly investigating Atkinson for trespassing. One of the other officers arrived with a handgun drawn but holstered it, while another had a stun gun drawn. Simon and Sally Glass say findings vindicate their belief that their son was murdered by Clear Creek County sheriff's deputies. 10-1! Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct, the city attorney said. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role on May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. Smyly asked for Atkinsons date of birth. This was very difficult because John has not violated any policies here and has been a very productive, pleasant employee. 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. Smyly drew his stun gun 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. John is not enjoying, agreed to immediately seek other employment outside of the county government. Read more here. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. New video shows moment Boulder officer pulled gun on black man picking up trash in own yard. According to the report, Atkinson raised his voice and Smyly felt threatened by the trash grabber and drew his stun gun and then drew his handgun. By. City officials said the investigation could not prove that the officer, John Smyly, acted because of Zayd Atkinson's race. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. 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 . He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News . Newly-released . You want to know what is really going on these days, especially in Colorado. Im picking up trash, and youre holding a gun!. Ex-Boulder Officer John Smyly was found in violation of department policy. Read more here. Based upon your concerns over the hire of former Boulder Police Department Officer John Smyly in the computer support section of the sheriffs office, the hire was given another review. When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to . but it can also be stressful. The officer, John Smyly, resigned this week under an agreement with city officials who found he had violated department policies. 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. ", A police internal affairs report obtained by ABC News shows Smyly's decision to attempt to detain Atkinson "was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, had committed, or was about to commit a crime. 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. . The City of Boulder released a statement Thursday saying, "while the finding likely would have resulted in suspension or possibly termination, Officer Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. "Shouldn't that be enough for you?". 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 Sheriffs Office. 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. When Mr. Atkinson walked away, continuing to pick up trash, the subject officer believed he had probable cause to charge Mr. Atkinson for obstructing a police officer. Boulder Valley School District. It takes a good days drive to cover Colorado, but well help you do it in a few minutes. Whats next after moving on from Patrick Kane? And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/breaking and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Obviously, I still have things to learn.. He said he has had trouble sleeping and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him. We have been engaged in race equity training and discussions and are committed to continuing those efforts and working with county staff on whatever tools might help us in those efforts. ", A police internal affairs report obtained by ABC News shows Smyly's decision to attempt to detain Atkinson "was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, had committed, or was about to commit a crime. According to the report, Atkinson raised his voice and Smyly felt threatened by the trash grabber and drew his stun gun and then drew his handgun. Stop!. Patrick von Keyserling, communications director for the city, confirmed that the results of the internal investigation will not go into his file. John is not enjoying the spotlight or controversy and understands it is necessary for him to leave. The phenomenon is known as a conjunction, which is when astronomical objects seem to be near each other based on how we see them from Earth. He should have slept longer.. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. If you know what department Smyly is working it, please email that information to [email protected], 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 [email protected] James Freeman does first amendment audits, cop watching, cop blocking, and more. When our staff interviewed the candidates for this term position, Smyly was the best qualified applicant. After about eight minutes, more officers arrive and form a loose half circle around Atkinson. According to a summary of the investigation released by Boulder police, Smyly was conducting extra patrols on March 1, 2019, in the area of Folsom Street and Arapahoe Avenue when he saw Atkinson. Smyly drew his stun gun 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. Part of HuffPost News. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. . 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 The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. (Giannis Papanikos/AP). Atkinson gave Smyly his Naropa student ID, but it did not have his address or date of birth. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. Subscribe to more newsletters | COVID-19 tracker | Compare home values by ZIP code | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy, Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Council of American Islamic Relations, speaks as Travis Grant, second left, acting national director of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and family attorney Zaid Abdallah look on, as they address charges against an Oak Lawn police officer Feb. 15, 2023. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. The subject officers decision to attempt to detain Mr. Atkinson was not supported by reasonable suspicion that Mr. Atkinson was committing, or was about to commit a crime, therefore he did not have authority to detain Mr. Atkinson, the report read. An internal affairs investigation found the officer "did not have probable cause to charge Atkinson with any crime" and "should have ended his contact" as soon as Atkinson gave him his name and address. Our staff spoke to John Smyly yesterday concerning the controversy over his temporary position here. Thats my fault, I take responsibility. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. The NAACPs Boulder County chapter shared its concerns about Smylys hiring with Sheriff Joe Pelle, who sent a letter Oct. 1 to the chapter to share that his office determined his hiring was not helpful to our equity work., Our staff spoke to John Smyly yesterday concerning the controversy over his temporary position here, Pelle wrote. City Attorney Tom Carr said firing Smyly would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. He tries to make his victim sit like a dog, for no reason other than to assert dominance over him. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. We did not see any opportunity for harm, he wrote. Old post, but he moved to Longmont, CO and became a rent a cop, according to his LinkedIn.Funny he changed his display name to John S., but didn't change the URL from his full name. 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. 9191 46 Comments 15 Shares Share 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. The report released with the video 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. Incumbent Daniel La Spata nears outright victory but may face Sam Royko in runoff, while Proco Joe Moreno falls short, Seat held by Ald. Smyly asked for Atkinsons date of birth. (Tribune photo by Nancy Stone). Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD, a black man confronted by a Boulder police officer. 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. Opinion: Colorado farms going fallow? Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role on May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. Debris of trains lie on the rail lines after a collision in Tempe, about 235 miles north of Athens, near Larissa, Greece, March 1, 2023. All rights reserved. Since Live PD and Cops was cancelled, James Freeman does LIVE STREAMING COP WATCHES. He says funding is key. John is not enjoying the spotlight or controversy and understands it is necessary for him to leave. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. Smyly, a 14-year veteran of the Boulder Police Department had no prior disciplinary action, it was. (Facebook . Youre gonna shoot a resident on his property for picking up trash?, Zayd Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod: "Boulder either lacks the ability or will to root out racism from this police department. https://t.co/hYSl9TRy3x, Blair Miller (@blairmiller) May 16, 2019, Smyly drew his gun when the two men reached the back of the building, an investigative summary said. A video of the incident was posted to social media, and in it Atkinson can be heard telling police he is on his own property and is just picking up trash. 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. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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. "My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled," he said. That's when the tense 22-minute stand-off ends. Rescuers searched through the burned-out wreckage of two trains that slammed into each other in northern Greece. The officer, John Smyly, resigned with a severance package, as the City Council and community members were troubled by the incident. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. 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. Atkinsons attorney Siddhartha Rathod said he was disappointed Smyly was not fired and instead was allowed to resign and remain on the citys payroll until 2020. Officers were able to talk to Atkinson and a Naropa employee who responded to the scene and confirmed Atkinson was a student and lived in the building. Recordings emerged of Greene referring to deputies in his department as "Black bastards" and "snakes.". 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