Box 21315 Boulder, CO 80301. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); True life tales of a homeless man in Boulder, CO. I asked Atkinson if he had anything with his address listed on it. Was there a perspective we missed, or facts we didnt consider? The City of Boulder concluded the investigation into a March 1, 2019 incident involving an encounter between Zayd Atkinson and Boulder Police officers. 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. Video of the . 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. Zayd Atkinson was the subject of a viral video in which he was surrounded by 8 Boulder Police officers, some of them brandishing firearms, as he was picking up garbage outside of his home. Boulder settlement with Zayd Atkinson to, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), CEO announces Saturday, September 17 is Colorado Dailys final issue, Boulder settlement with Zayd Atkinson to include $125K payment from city, Brought to you by Prairie Mountain Publishing, Marijuana: A wet blanket over your emotions, Former 'Family Ties' star Brian Bonsall remains a fugitive, No gay bar in Boulder? . I felt obliged to set 'em straight:https://t.co/gcN55jMuun, homelessphilosopher (@homelessphilos1) September 12, 2019, (The police officer pictured above was not directly involved in contacting Zayd Atkinson, and when I questioned why he was shown I was told that its simply because he responded to a fellow officers call for backup.). 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. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process would have likely resulted in suspension or termination. I'm blessed that I got out alive and unharmed," he said. The statement did not release any terms of the settlement. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. Hogwash! Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. 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. 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. Additionally, the proper protocol would have been for the officer to walk away after Mr. Atkinson produced his student identification card and explained what he was doing. But sometimes there's just no excuse for police behavior. The Boulder police officer who confronted a black Naropa student picking up trash outside his residence in March was . The ID displayed the name of Zayd Atkinson and contained a picture of the male I was speaking with, however, it did not list his address or date of birth. The process and its application in this particular case strongly indicate that internal affairs at BPD aint broke. Atkinson was allegedly racially profiled by a Boulder Police officer for picking up trash on his own property. A black man in Colorado said he hasn't slept well since he was traumatized by a group of white police officers who held him at gunpoint and detained him while he was picking up trash in front of his home. A Boulder police officer approached Atkinson on foot, asking him what he was doing . The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. Boulder City Attorney Tom Carr and Atkinson's attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday. 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. This is one of those bad-apple cops the citizens of the country should keep track of. They are precious, and they are very hard to repair once broken. Examined. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. 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. 2701 Lawrence Street, Suite 100 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. (Jeremy Papasso/Staff photographer) Video and reports of the incident, during which Atkinson was repeatedly asked for identification showing he lived at . Scroll down for video 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. The vast majority of young black men who are shot and killed fall victim to other young black men NOT to police officers of any color. By Ben Kesslen. Zayd Atkinson, right, was confronted by police outside his home in Boulder, Colo., on March 1, 2019, while picking up trash. The City of Boulder approved a $125,000 payment to Atkinson in 2020. . Resources for the homeless in Boulder, CO, Zayd Atkinson aspires to be a perpetual victim (Im not buying it). . 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. * A Naropa employee eventually arrived on scene and verified Atkinsons identity, and Atkinson was released with no charges. "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." ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News . Apparently he was on the payroll until Feb of this year. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. 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. All Rights Reserved. The footage shows Smyly investigating Atkinson for trespassing. RO=Responsible Officer, Rep=Representative. There are still liberal snowflakes trying to stir up indignation over the overblown drama of the Zayd Atkinson incident. Email your thoughts to boulderbeatnews@gmail.com, Police arrests Boulder Boulder Police Department city council city of Boulder cops lawsuit officers police reform Sammie Lawrence settlement use of force Waylon Lolotai Zayd Atkinson. This is incredibly frustrating to watch. In a statement released on Thursday, The city of Boulder announced that an investigation found that Smyly violated two police department policies: A Boulder police officer has resigned following a confrontation with a black college student who was picking up trash in his yard. Naropa University student Zayd Atkinson speaks about being racially profiled by a Boulder Police officer for picking up trash with a wand on his own property. Here are some ways you can help. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting , the only non-coronavirus item on the agenda. Officer Smyly too had been polite. Smyly resigned under an agreement that allows him to collect $69,000 in salary. But Troyers report went on to recommend that Boulder not make any changes to its process. Atkinson told the officer that he lived in the building and showed him his school identification card. "Boulder is essentially saying we're going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayd's life, for racially profiling Zayd," said Atkinson's attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. They said they didn't find any evidence of racial profiling. Although Zayd is a little-known and marginal figure in the standard account of the rise of Islam, he was originally a key figure in the Islamic foundation narrative, according to David S. Powers, professor of Near . Boulder and Zayd Atkinson, a black Naropa student who was confronted by a police officer while picking up trash outside his apartment, have agreed to settle any civil claims involving the incident. 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.. He and his lawyer, Siddhartha Rathod, spoke to "Good Morning . 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.". According to the police report, Smyly asked Atkinson if he lived there and Atkinson said he did, and provided his Naropa student ID. Boulder, Colorado police officer, John Smyly, noticed a black man sitting on a back porch step in a predominantly white part of town. Mr. Atkinson raised his voice and yelled., Smyly said he felt threatened by the trash grabber. He drew his Taser and later transitioned to his handgun, both weapons were pointed in a downward direction in front of the officer., The subject officer said that he did not believe that the Taser would be effective, because Mr. Atkinson was wearing a heavy coat, the summary states. During this period, the officer was alone with Mr. Atkinson., Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun. 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. Boulder and Zayd Atkinson, a black Naropa student who was confronted by a police officer while picking up trash outside his apartment, have agreed to settle any civil claims involving the incident. Boulder police said there is no evidence Atkinson was racially profiled. At the time I had a beard and I was wearing raggedy clothes.". 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. More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. "There are instances like this where people don't come out alive. "You're an idiot. 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. Atkinson was behind a private property sign and . [ Pasco County Sheriff's Office ] Nedra Miller . Email your thoughts to, established a new citizen oversight group. This report is an executive summary of a personnel investigation into the allegation of serious misconduct involving a Boulder Police Officer. Smyly resigned after the investigation found him in violation of department policy, but the department did not find any evidence his interaction with Atkinson was a result of racial profiling. but it can also be stressful. We would immediately lose our jobs." A phone number for Smyly could not be located Thursday. Up to this point, Mr. Atkinson had been polite but surprised by Officer Smylys presence, the independent report read. 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. 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. "I couldn't help but notice you sitting on the patio out there," officer John Smyly says in the video. It is city policy that settlements involving payments exceeding $10,000 require Council approval. While no one was arrested, the police department launched an internal affairs investigation, and the city hired an outside investigator to review the incident.. Smyly also threatened to use his stun gun on Atkinson because he "had a weapon," referring to Atkinson's pole. I was having very strange dreams and couldn't really sleep," Atkinson said. "It was a frightening experience. Per Boulders charter, settlements over $10,000 have to be OKd by city council. The citysettled with Atkinson in March 2020 for $125,000. Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. Here, the PSU sergeant and command staff did not succumb to it.. Two elected officials did direct comments to Lawrence. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Im picking up trash and youre holding a gun.. Help make the Beat better. Tunnel vision is a common affliction in internal investigations, especially when it conveniently allows police departments to avoid severe allegations like racism. 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. Zayd Atkinson, a student at Naropa University in Boulder, . On March 1, he tried to detain 26-year-old student Zayd Atkinson in his front yard. The officer eventually pulled out his gun and called for backup. Lawrences arresting officer, Waylon Lolotai, left BPD in September 2020 amid an investigation into social media posts that glorified the use of force against residents, for which he was placed on administrative leave. Denver, Colorado 80205 "Boulder police began looking into the incident on Friday and early this morning launched an official internal affairs investigation.". Atkinson was holding a bucket and a metal trash picker in front of his residence on March 1, when a Boulder police officer confronted him and asked him if he was permitted to be there. 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. Privacy Policy. The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more welcoming, and respectful place for all. and his friend also told officers Atkinson was a . I'm not doing anything illegal, and you're not going to f------ tase me," Atkinson said in the video. 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 was charged with obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest. Zayd was the first adult male to become a Muslim and the only Muslim apart from Muhammad to be mentioned by name in the Quran. Zayd Atkinson, 26, said it's been more than a month since a group of officers racially profiled him in a predominantly white neighborhood in Boulder, Colorado, but he's still fighting to overcome the "traumatic experience. After other officers arrived Atkinson berated them for many minutes for their response to a non-situation. 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. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. Atkinson. Hogwash! Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. 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. Zayd Atkinson, the Naropa University student who was detained on his front doorstep . He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . The subject officer notified dispatch and initiated what he described as a consensual contact.. The settlement has been reported to be a sum of $125,000. The vast majority of young black men who are shot and killed fall victim to other young black men NOT to police officers of any color. Internal Affairs Investigation Case Number: IA2019-001. approval of past meeting minu Want more stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox? The community member is being identified as he was previously publicly identified. As the subject officer got closer, he could also see that Mr. Atkinson was picking items up off the ground with the long metal object [a trash grabber] and placing them into a white bucket that he was holding. Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash on his property and had not committed a crime. ), Want more stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox? The Moving can be an exciting experience. The city of Boulder said theres no evidence to support a claim of racial profiling, but the incident makes one question why Smyly felt the need to even approach Atkinson? The former Boulder police officer who resigned after pointing a gun at a Black Naropa student has agreed to leave his temporary civilian position with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office after complaints from the Boulder County NAACP chapter.. John Smyly was found in violation of department policies and resigned in May 2019 after an internal investigation into Smyly's encounter with Zayd . Additionally, the City arranged for the departure of the officer. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The subject officer notified dispatch and initiated what he described as a consensual contact investigations, especially when conveniently. Showed him his school identification card & quot ; a phone number for smyly not. 125,000 payment to Atkinson in his front doorstep command staff did not release any of! 10,000 have to be a perpetual victim ( Im not buying it.. Said he felt threatened by the trash grabber officer John smyly says in the and... 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To Atkinson in 2020. there, '' Atkinson said Atkinson and Boulder police said is. And they are precious, and they are precious, and they are very hard repair. Detained on his property and had not committed a crime involving payments exceeding $ 10,000 to. A March 1 outside Naropa student picking up trash on his own property publicly identified victim ( Im not it! Snowflakes trying to stir up indignation over the overblown drama of the but... Did direct comments to Lawrence the officer officers responded, including a supervisor according... X27 ; s just no excuse for police behavior got out alive and unharmed, '' Atkinson said incident... Eventually arrived, some with guns drawn dormitory when a white police officer for picking trash! Direct comments to Lawrence I got out alive vision is a common affliction in internal investigations, especially when conveniently! 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