Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo . The police department has also released all related body camera footage. . The process and its application in this particular case strongly indicate that internal affairs at BPD aint broke. 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 he said he appreciates Boulder police releasing the numbers, he believes real change is still years away. "The officer's on a paid vacation right now; he's on a taxpayer paid vacation and he's at home being paid now for pointing a gun at a black man," Rathod told "GMA." He said he gave the officer his ID and key card for the building, but the situation escalated as Atkinson refused to acquiesce when the officer ordered for him to sit down. https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/cijav8/officer_pulling_out_his_gun_on_a_student_outside/. Click here to sign up for a weekly newsletter from Boulder Beat. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. 7On a seemingly normal morning in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his . Following the incident, the City of Boulder promptly took steps to address the communitys concerns, including publicly apologizing to Mr. Atkinson, and holding a community listening session. and our The charges were dismissed after Lawrence completed a deferred sentence; he filed suit in March 2021, asserting that his First and Fourth AmendmentChange made to existing documents, resolutions, or ordinances rights had been violated. All Rights Reserved. Those are the statistics that bear on the Zayd Atkinson drama, in which no shots were fired, no Taser was deployed, no pepper spray was used, no tickets were issued, and no arrest was made. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Atkinson said he's had trouble sleeping since the incident. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. He asked Smyly if he would fire the weapon if he didnt put the trash grabber down. Additionally, the City arranged for the departure of the officer. Printed By: RAABP1, 05/14/2019 12:19 Page 4 R_CS3NC REPORTING . 0:24 - Zayd A. At one point, Atkinson said he turned his back and walked around to the back of the building as the officer followed him with a Taser in his hand, he said. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. Telephone: 303-578-4400 While the report recommended Boulder not change its internal investigation process, it did strongly recommend the police department create an official staff position to support the Professional Standards Unit sergeant. He called the incident a reflection of a larger racial problem within Boulder, which is about 81 percent white and less than 2 percent black, according to census data. The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. Smyly drew his stun gun and then his handgun as he felt threatened by the trash grabber Atkinson was using. Smyly, a 14-year veteran of the department, resigned from active duty on May 16. Reporting Officer: SMYLY, J. "There is a problem with law enforcement's interaction with minority communities.". The community member is being identified as he was previously publicly identified. We would immediately lose our jobs." A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. 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. In addition to increased oversight, BPD revamped its use of force policies in August 2020. Required fields are marked *. More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. An independent review of the police investigation of an interaction between an officer and a black Naropa University student concluded the investigation met or exceeded standards and was right in finding no evidence of racial profiling. Will Denver voters elect a mayor who will stop enabling homelessness. As a result of the listening session, the City established a civilian police oversight task force that made recommendations which resulted in the adoption of an ordinance establishing a new civilian police oversight model. Officers in the two cases resigned from Boulder Police Department. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. The situation -- which was captured on video -- drew criticism for what student Zayd Atkinson said was an instance of racial profiling. The citysettled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. Zayd gave his name and confirmed that he lived at the location. Newly-released body camera video shows how it all started. The Moving can be an exciting experience. The body camera videos, the police reports and dispatch tapes related to the incident are available at https://t.co/Luru5y5XJk pic.twitter.com/1vquVsUp7u. Help make the Beat better. "There are instances like this where people don't come out alive. Atkinson." Scroll down for video Atkinson was allegedly racially profiled by a Boulder Police officer for picking up trash on his own property. 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. PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. 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. 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. 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. When asked about the resignation of Smyly, Atkinson said he's glad "he's being held accountable for something but it seems like it's just bare minimum things.". At least 1 student stabbed during fight at North Bay school: Police, How safe is your neighborhood? Following the March 1 episode with Naropa student Zayd Atkinson, also described in the complaint, Lolotai was caught on video again during the April 5 arrest of Sammie Lawrence, who tried to . The officer decided to self-initiate contact with Mr. Atkinson, According to the incident summary, the reason Smyly decided to monitor the student is that he saw Mr. Atkinson manipulating an unknown object in his left hand as he held it close to his mouth, prompting him to drive closer to Mr. Atkinson to see what he was doing.. We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) A Florida man left paralyzed when a police officer shot him after mistaking his handgun for his stun gun filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city, the officer and . Atkinson repeats he's provided his identification but Smyly wants more proof. First published on May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM. Body camera video of the incident that was released on Thursday shows Atkinson getting upset after the officer asked him what unit he lives in and asking him to provide identification that showed his address. He drew his handgun after Mr. Atkinson stopped behind the building out of sight of the street. Why would you think that you could tase me? The officers arrived and later left after they determined Atkinson had the right to be there. Atkinson told the officer that he lived in the building and showed him his school identification card. The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more . 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Here are some ways you can help. "Give him his ID back and we're outta here," one of the officers is heard saying. Up to this point, Mr. Atkinson had been polite but surprised by Officer Smylys presence, the independent report read. The first, in which Naropa student Zayd Atkinson was confronted by armed officers while picking up trash outside his home, drew national media attention and sparked local protests. This wasn't enough for Officer Smyly. But Troyers report went on to recommend that Boulder not make any changes to its process. It is city policy that settlements involving payments exceeding $10,000 require Council approval. "It definitely brings fear to my heart knowing that some people don't survive. An officer had drawn his gun as Atkinson picked up trash outside his dorm. Boulder City Attorney Tom Carr and Atkinsons attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday. Funny he changed his display name to John S., but didn't change the URL from his full name. During this period, the subject officer repeatedly asked Mr. Atkinson to stop and advised him that he was obstructing a police officer. I'm blessed that I got out alive and unharmed," he said. . Details of the payment amount were included in the City Council agenda packet released Thursday evening ahead of its Tuesday meeting, and elected officials are being asked to approve the deal by the City Attorneys Office. Or mail cash/check/precious gemstones toP.O. SFC licensees. The body camera videos, the police reports . It was a frightening experience. Lawrence's arrest came later and with less fanfare. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. I'm freaking picking up trash on my property which is where I live. Zayd Atkinson, the Naropa University student who was detained on his front doorstep . I thought that once the firearm was out that that meant that he was going to try to kill me, Atkinson said on Good Morning America in April. ", 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. Councilwoman Rachel Friend added, I hope this settlement brings you some peace., (Authors note: This article has been updated to include a statement from Lawrences attorneys, additional information from the lawsuit and action from city council Tuesday. Per Boulders charter, settlements over $10,000 have to be OKd by city council. In a viral video, Atkinson was confronted by a police officer while he was picking up trash outside of his . 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.. Denver, Colorado 80205 The officer who confronted Atkinson resigned from the Boulder Police Department, and the Department enhanced oversight . Smyly asked Atkinson if he was permitted to be in the location. The Boulder Police Department said it placed the first officer on administrative leave while it investigated the incident. During his interview, the subject officer stated that at this point, he was unaware of Mr. Atkinsons race, because he had only seen him from a distance and approached him from behind, the incident summary states. Settlements involving payments exceeding $ 10,000 have to be OKd by City Council and dispatch tapes related the... Number for Smyly could not be located Thursday like this where people do n't survive Boulder. 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