Mr. Atkinson was picking up trash. Help make the Beat better. The Boulder Police Department says the rules that were violated were conduct and violation of police authority and public trust. 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. 2701 Lawrence Street, Suite 100 University of Colorado Boulder Officer Drew Matthews (image via department) Under the anonymity of the internet, a University of Colorado Boulder police officer trolled . He found none. Atkinson walked away, the subject officer followed from a distance. "Give him his ID back and we're outta here," one of the officers is heard saying. The (Professional Standards Unit) investigation resulted in a complete, thorough, impartial report package, the independent report reads. All Rights Reserved. . 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. 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. He said he still hasn't received an apology, and the new report is just Boulder police's way of covering their backs. 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. 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 . 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. "It definitely brings fear to my heart knowing that some people don't survive. Boulder City Attorney Tom Carr and Atkinson's attorneys at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC issued a joint statement on Thursday. During this period, the subject officer repeatedly asked Mr. Atkinson to stop and advised him that he was obstructing a police officer. Executive Summary. The grouping of routine items on the city council meeting agenda (e.g. . In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. Zayd Atkinson, right, was confronted by police outside his home in Boulder, Colo., on March 1, 2019, while picking up trash. That identification card, the same size as a driver's license or credit card, displayed Mr. Atkinson's name and photo. 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. Apparently he was on the payroll until Feb of this year. Examined. "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. Meanwhile, Zayd said talk is cheap. 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. 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. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. but it can also be stressful. We should know where he is and if he's allowed to work as a cop or in a field that requires public trust. He then begins commands for the student to sit down on the pavement . Though the (Professional Standards Unit) only investigates about three Class 1 cases a year, those cases will be handled under much less stress, and the risk of error due to time pressure and workload will be reduced, if trained support staff is ready when needed.. 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. The city added that Smyly resigned . Video and reports of the incident, during which Atkinson was repeatedly asked for identification showing he lived at . City council is set to approve the payout during a special Monday night meeting, the only non . Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Boulder Police Department / Courtesy photo. 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Smyly contacted Atkinson March 1 outside Naropa student housing at 2333 Arapahoe Ave. as Atkinson was picking up trash with a long metal claw. PUBLISHED: May 16, 2019 at 9:28 a.m. | UPDATED: May 16, 2019 at 11:48 a.m. Bodycam footage of the incident emerged and sparked outrage. Help make the Beat better. Atkinson beleives he was "penalized for practicing my rights," and his attorney, Siddhartha Rathod, said the officer's punishment doesn't reflect that. Im picking up trash. The City is committed to learning from this incident and moving forward to become a safer, more . 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 . First published on May 16, 2019 / 5:17 PM. HuffPost reports that Officer John Smyly violated two department policies when confronted Zayd Atkinson, including public trust and conduct. The Boulder Police Department concluded an internal investigation on the March 1 incident when officers, two of them with guns drawn, confronted Zayd Atkinson.. 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. Newly-released body camera video shows how it all started. April 15, 2022, 9:13am. Mr. ), Want more stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox? Atkinison sued, and in March of 2020 he was awarded $125,000 in a settlement with the City of Boulder. In a viral video, Atkinson was confronted by a police officer while he was picking up trash outside of his . When demonstrators took to the . The subject officer then activated his body camera and decided to self-initiate contact with Mr. Atkinson to determine what he was doing and if he lived or worked there. The Boulder Police Department said it placed the first officer on administrative leave while it investigated the incident. Box 21315 Boulder, CO 80301. Troyer also is investigating a separate incident in which a police officer arrested a black man with a cane who was filming officers interacting with homeless people. May 17, 2019, 6:17 AM PDT. Boulder police said there is no evidence Atkinson was racially profiled. During the 16-minute standoff, multiple officers politely and calmly asked Mr. Atkinson to drop the trash grabber and sit down so they could talk, the report read. 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. 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. It has historically had problems with minority communities," Rathod said. They unanimously approved the payout Tuesday. 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. The city on Thursday announced the settlement but did not include the terms in a news release. 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. While the stop itself was wrong, some things were done right during the encounter itself. Prolonged litigation will adversely impact those efforts. At one point the officer says, "you're probably going to get tased.". Boulder Beat. Was there a perspective we missed, or facts we didnt consider? Atkinson threatened to sue . "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/cijav8/officer_pulling_out_his_gun_on_a_student_outside/. . I'm blessed that I got out alive and unharmed," he said. 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. Click here to sign up for a weekly newsletter from Boulder Beat. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. Several officers responded, including a supervisor, according to the police department. "This is an all-white community that has historically treated minority communities differently. 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. . Class 1 Professional Standards investigation for alleged violation of: Body cam footage shows a School Resource Officer at a River Ridge High School threaten to shoot a student trying to leave campus on Dec. 17, 2019. 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. 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. <p>In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd . We also know from our experience that reliable, impartial internal affairs processes can be hard to come by. 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. 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. In addition to increased oversight, BPD revamped its use of force policies in August 2020. "Well I believe that this man had approached me because I'm a black male in an all-white town," Atkinson said later. Tunnel vision is a common affliction in internal investigations, especially when it conveniently allows police departments to avoid severe allegations like racism. 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. 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. A Boulder police officer approached Atkinson on foot, asking him what he was doing . In the wake of the incident, Boulder City Council formed a committee to explore a police oversight committee. 7On a seemingly normal morning in March of 2019, Zayd Atkinson was picking up trash outside of his . We hope this settlement will prompt introspection from City officials, whoselofty rhetoric around policing has lagged far behind the reality of Boulders pattern of abusivepolice conduct..