New video shows moment Boulder officer pulled gun on black man picking up trash in own yard. He did not mention the incident in his resignation letter. CPR's Joella Baumann contributed to this report. Boulder Valley School District is part of the K-12 Schools industry, and located in Colorado, United States. Part of HuffPost News. Obviously, I still have things to learn. Now that the two candidates have been determined . City Attorney Tom Carr said firing Smyly would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. Smyly said he noticed Atkinson on the rear patio and wanted to see if he lived or worked there. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. 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. Put that down, Smyly said on the tape. 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. Located across the street from one another on Ohio Street in downtown Chicago, Pizzeria Uno and Due are owned by Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp., which announced it is selling its frozen pizza division to focus on expanding the restaurant franchise. When Smyly asked for an address and date of birth, Atkinson walked away and began to pick up trash again. Atkinson later reached a settlement with the city. Here's what else is happening today. At one point the officer says, "you're probably going to get tased.". Not today.. He has agreed to immediately seek other employment outside of the county government. We would immediately lose our jobs.. 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 myself, for discussion. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. While it found Smyly violated department policy, the report indicated there was not enough evidence to support racial bias being a factor. Patrick von Keyserling, communications director for the city, confirmed that the results of the internal investigation will not go into his file. Now that the two candidates have been determined for the runoff election for Chicago mayor, more of the aldermanic races are becoming clearer. The US economy is sending mixed signals. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. 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. In an effort to keep our community informed, we are now publishing some press peleases in whole. 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. 10-1! The man he tried to bully and intimidate, Zayde Atkinson, NEVER gave in. The exchange between Officer Smyly and Mr. Atkinson does not represent the professionalism of the Boulder Police Department nor the community Boulder desires to be. 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. City Attorney Tom Carr said firing Smyly would have led to a drawn-out appeal and potentially allowed him to keep his job. Opinion: Colorado farms going fallow? BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - John Smyly, a Boulder police officer, has resigned after his department says he violated two rules when he questioned and followed a Naropa University student who was . 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. 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. Atkinson repeatedly said he had not done anything wrong. 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. Boulder is essentially saying were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd, said Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. 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. John Smyly, the Boulder, Colorado, officer who initiated contact with Zayd Atkinson that resulted in a tense interaction where several officers drew their guns, was allowed to resign. Im not tryi. On the video, Atkinson responds by shouting: Thats a gun! One of the officers involved in the latter scenario, John Smyly, resigned from the BPD earlier this month. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled, he said. The job was publicly posted in 2019, Wagner said. 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. Investigators found Smyly violated two department policies: police authority and public trust and conduct, the city attorney said. Atkinson was picking up trash outside his dormitory when a white police officer in Boulder, Colo., detained him in March, 2019. 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. When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to tase him. 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. Im picking up trash! Your hand is on your weapon and youre gonna shoot me, Atkinson shouted. The contact evolved into a stop and detainment that caused multiple officers to respond. When Zayde Atkinson refuses, Smyly threatens to tase him. Under the agreement, Smyly resigned his police role on May 9 but will remain an employee through February without performing any work. "I will not sit down, I refuse to sit down, until you guys put your (expletive) weapons away," Atkinson said. Based upon this investigation and concerns it raised, the Boulder Police Department will be initiating additional officer training concerning effective de-escalation of incidents, the department wrote in a release. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. John Smyly was found in violation of department policies and resigned in May 2019 after an internal investigation into Smylys encounter with Zayd Atkinson in Boulder on March 1, 2019. A Cactus League road game yesterday came hours after Seiya Suzukis disappointment over his oblique strain and outlook at what comes next for the Chicago Cubs right fielder. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/breaking and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. 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. "My life right now is kind of restless, unsettled," he . When he refuses to ID the way the cop wants him to, John Smyly escalates the situation. Boulder is essentially saying were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd, said Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. In this undated photo provided by lawyer Siddhartha Rathod, Zayd Atkinson poses for a photo. As many as 700,000 Illinois residents could lose Medicaid health coverage this year, Cactus League report: Drew Smyly is working with a Cubs new catcher and the White Soxs opportunistic plan on the bases. Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. Gen Z Voices: Attending school on a tribal reservation, and outside of it, led Aidan Gover to discover the disparities in education. Tracking the Chicago Blackhawks moves before the NHL trade deadline. The Boulder Chapter of the NAACP, which emailed the Camera about the hire, decried Smylys hiring in a statement. 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. Newly-released . Thats what youre gonna do, officer? The officer then called for back-up, leading to eight officers surrounding the college student. The citizens of Boulder should be outraged that Boulder either doesnt have the ability or the will to fire this officer and root out discrimination from this police department.. More officers -- 8 in total -- eventually arrived, some with guns drawn. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. 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. 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Smyly decided to approach Atkinson on foot, and saw that he was using a long metal claw to pick up trash and put it in a bucket. He has agreed to immediately seek other employment outside of the county government.. Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on that day, Officer John Smyly spotted Atkinson sitting in a partially enclosed patio area directly behind a "Private Property" sign and spoke to him to find out if. The officer was identified today as 40-year-old John Smyly, a 14-year veteran of the department with no prior disciplinary action. Atkinson refused, then picked up the bucket and tool and walked away. 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. Oyeneyin was handcuffed and detained in his own home after police responded to a burglar alarm in process. 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. We looked at this through the lens of safety and exposure. According to the Boulder County Sheriffs Office, Smyly was hired in January on a two-year term position as a civilian training and development coordinator in the sheriffs computer support unit. Atkinson, 26, said he believes Smyly should have been fired immediately. 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. According to a summary of the investigation released by Boulder police, Officer John Smyly was conducting extra patrols on March 1, 2019, in the area of Folsom Street and Arapahoe Avenue when. Stop!. John Smyly, a former Boulder Colorado Police officer detains a man, Zayde Atkinson with no RAS. 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. If you or I were to do this, we would be criminally charged. He said he has had trouble sleeping and spends time outdoors or with friends to calm him. ", Memorial services set to begin for Bishop David O'Connell, World of Barbie to open next month at Santa Monica Place, 5 Freeway through the Grapevine reopens, CHP escorting traffic. We did not see any opportunity for harm, he wrote. Carr said the resignation agreement allowed the city to provide the community information more quickly, and it transitioned Officer Smyly out of a law enforcement career. The citys bargaining agreement with police officers requires an appeal for any disciplinary action and could have allowed Smyly to return to duty, he added. 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. 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. Police: Worker shoots, kills manager at Hobby Lobby in Oklahoma City, Harry, Meghan asked to leave Windsor Estate home in further royal rift, FBI reportedly resisted searching Trumps Mar-a-Lago for classified documents, Death toll keeps rising in Greece's deadliest train crash, After shootings, Michigan State to restrict building access, Long-lost ship found in Lake Huron, confirming tragic story, GZA, Donnie Iris, John Mayer among top concerts to see around Pittsburgh in March, How officials cracked case of eyedrops that blinded people. Atkinson provided his school ID, which did not have an address and then offered to let himself into the building as proof. Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. 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. "How do you feel, officer? One officer can be seen holding a rifle; the investigative summary says the weapon fires bean bags. Atkinsons attorney did not respond to requests for comment. I found this video of John Smyly, whom I met personally in Japan in 2003 and dont think hes a racist, reason why I decided to make this video. 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. but it can also be stressful. Colorado mountain towns are exploring a lawsuit against the US Postal Service over poor service. All Rights Reserved. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream, a black man confronted by a Boulder police officer. Smyly resigned prior to the conclusion of the disciplinary process, but police indicated the process likely would have resulted in suspension or termination. Heres what it all means. Boulder is essentially saying were going to pay this officer and let him resign for threatening Zayds life, for racially profiling Zayd, said Atkinsons attorney, Siddhartha Rathod. Atkinson gave Smyly his Naropa student ID, but it did not have his address or date of birth. It takes a good days drive to cover Colorado, but well help you do it in a few minutes. 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. Carr said the resignation agreement allowed the city to provide the community information more quickly, and it transitioned Officer Smyly out of a law enforcement career. The citys bargaining agreement with police officers requires an appeal for any disciplinary action and could have allowed Smyly to return to duty, he added. (Tribune photo by Nancy Stone). Boulder Police Officer Resigns After Confronting Black Man Picking Up Trash, News That Matters, Delivered To Your Inbox. Finally, police confirm his story by asking someone else if he does, in fact, live there. Such is the case of Boulder, Colo., police officer John Smyly over his interaction with Zayd Atkinson on March 1st this year. Video of the incident from Smyly's body camera shows him detaining . 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. 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