tiburon police officer fired

The video, which has amassed nearly 64,000 views on YEMAs Instagram page, sparked public outrage prompting a protest in Tiburon attended by over 200 people in support of Khalif and the Black Lives Matter movement. This isnt regular business hours, theres no customers in here. U.S. California Police Instagram. Named among the state's & nation's best small weeklies, 2014, 2018-2021 California News Publishers Association &, Store owners: Late-night encounter with Tiburon cops was racially motivated, 2022 The Ark, AMMI Publishing Co. Inc. | 1550 Tiburon Blvd. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Two Black merchants who allege racial profiling by police in Tiburon and Belvedere are demanding $2 million from the municipalities. Sept. 10, 2020 1:17 AM PT. Tiburon Town Council & Belvedere City Council Virtual Town Hall & Community Forum 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27. https://zoom.us/j/95644043303 or 669-900-6833, meeting ID 956 4404 3303. He opened the store this past February and says it's not unusual for them to work late into the night. Grime died in a hospital two days later. Fredericks said Cronin is planning a department-wide racial-bias training for late next month, which has been in the works since the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis in May, which led to widespread protests and mounting calls to end racial injustice and police brutality. Cronin will step down on Sept. 13 after serving 12 years as the chief of police, according to a statement released by Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis. Next time, just walk and the audio and video cut out. I think right now everybody should get involved just because, whats going on in the country; the climate and everything. This incident should alarm every resident in Tiburon, wrote Wolf. Wife of popular Wild 94.9 radio host JV says new information suggests he will not be coming back, Bay Area federal judge orders extradition of woman suspected of killing MSU student in hit-and-run, San Jose: Home raided as part of explosives and narcotics investigation. NBCBLK 5 officers fired after Tyre Nichols' death were 'directly responsible' for his 'physical abuse,' police chief says Other officers remain under investigation in connection with a. Police officers in a California town have been accused of racial profiling after confronting a Black business owner who . The first officer stayed behind briefly and again asked Khalif to put his key in the door, though Khalif again declined, saying the matter was settled. Please enter valid email address to continue. "We're trying to build a brand with a big heart," said Khalif. ", Supervisor: "Then show me that it's your store. Khalif, a resident for nearly 10 years, says hes been stopped while walking home and had to prove that he lives in Tiburon. TIBURON (KPIX/CBS SF) -- The police chief of the City of Tiburon is stepping down , according to a report in the Marin Independent Journa l. Chief Michael Cronin is resigning after 12 years. If they had just proved it was their business then that wouldve been it.. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 | 415-435-2652 | Privacy Policy| Designed by Kevin Hessel. Video @sherlavars pic.twitter.com/WH5S9Sktxu. Blasi begins asking the same questions as the first officer, including what the three were doing there late at night. It is unclear whether or not the police received a 911 call that prompted their presence at YEMA late that night. The next time I come here and there are three totally different people in here I dont care what color they are three people in your store at 3 oclock in the morning, do you want us to walk by and not do anything? Blasi said. I have a problem with you guys being here so late and you not telling me why, Madfes says. Despite resigning, Blasi will cooperate with an independent investigation led by a lawyer the town retained, Chanis said. During hours when the department is closed, visitors can be directly connected to our dispatch center via a phone outside our front entrance. TIBURON, Calif. (KGO) -- A Black business owner is speaking out after Tiburon police demanded proof he was the store's owner. In the video, Blasi eventually says Khalif should be grateful that the officers are looking out for his shop. It sounded like a fist-fight was going to happen, Simpson said. In a later interview, Simpson said he was concerned by the way the three officers were surrounding Khalif. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Blasi made $10,122 a month. Madfes, however, again asks Khalif to put the key in the door, but this time Khalif declines: Thats your supervisor, he say you walk away, walk away.. Awash says shes been stopped in her car by a single officer three to five times in the past year and a half. Awash was born in Ethiopia and lived as a refugee in Kenya before moving with her family to Minnesota. Video shows the interaction between the store owner and the police supervisor, who demanded, "I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1'oclock in the morning.". It just felt like it was going to progress into something ugly., Khalif called the fact that the situation was diffused by a white neighbor yelling down to vouch for him the icing on the cake., A Black man cannot be in this space in this particular hour and say, Im OK, no need to be talking to you, move along. A Black man can not say that, but a white man can.. It sparked widespread outrage within the community and prompted town officials to order an independent investigation into the officers conduct. ", The community meeting comes after the city released body cam video showing the back and forth between both sides. One of our business friend was visiting us from washing DC so he came with us. "When I feel harassed and I feel targeted, I say it, and I say it as I see it, and that's what that was," says business owner Yema Khalif, who was with his wife and another person inside his business when he was approached by officers. Sgt. Offensive text messages exchanged between police officers in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance, California, have hit the news and brought a spotlight on systemic discriminatory practices within the department.. It does not matter. A video depicting Tiburon police officers in heated exchange with the owner of the town's only Black-owned business while working late in his downtown shop has sparked outrage in the. Awash said she was shaking while recording the incident at the store because of the prior negative encounters with Tiburon police. We do not need to prove why we need to exist, Khalif said. I had to prove my house, street and number, and I had to prove that I lived in Tiburon, Khalif said. On Aug. 21, Khalif issued a statement on the companys Facebook page explaining what had happened early that morning. The Black owners of a business in Tiburon have settled a racial profiling claim with the town for $150,000 and the establishment of a police advisory council. In a later interview, Awash pointed out that there are large posters on the stores walls of both she and Khalif modeling their clothing. While Tiburon Police Chief Michael Cronin and Town Manager Greg Chanis have ordered an independent investigation into the incident, the results of which will be reviewed by the Town Council, Cronin said neither Blasi nor the two other officers involved would be suspended or put on administrative leave amid the investigation. Then show me its your store, Blasi responds. It was fear. At 1 a.m. Saturday morning, Tiburon police officers saw three people inside the clothing store Yema on Main Street and decided to check it out. "He and I have been discussing the timing of his retirement for some time, but he only recently chose the date that corresponds with his entry into public service 54 years ago," Chanis said in the press release. Were here because we love Tiburon, and we know that Tiburon loves us back, Awash said. Cronin's announcement comes one week after Sgt. The video circulating on social media was recorded on Khalifs friends cellphone from inside the store and was posted to Yemas Instagram account, where it has been viewed nearly 45,000 times, and to its Facebook page, where it has been shared nearly 1,000 times, each garnering hundreds of comments. said Yema Khalif in a video his friend took. As a community, we need to demand change in our public servants when it becomes clear their own unrecognized prejudices can no longer allow them to protect and serve all residents.. Tiburon resident Nicole Wolf said she would like town officials to take it a step further and fire the officers in the video, as well as Cronin. She said that included conversations about how police officers can re-examine their implicit biases and eliminate their own fear on the job. ", The business owner tells ABC7 News, "I did feel racially profiled. ", Others responded with different views, saying that officers were just doing their job. The remaining footage is the body-camera perspective of the exchange previously recorded from inside the store and circulated on social media. Is it your store that's all we want to know? Tiburon officials have released body-camera footage from the first officer at the scene of a late-night confrontation between police and Black business owner Yema Khalif, who asserts he was racially profiled when questioned at his downtown shop. It was organized by Marin City Matters a social activist group created in response to police Chief Michael Cronins warning to residents on June 2 that Sausalito and Tiburon might be targets for unrest linked to a Marin City demonstration over the death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis. Critics also note the officers finally left without the proof they said was required for 11 minutes only when a white Main Street resident who overheard the confrontation shouted, Thats his store.. Tiburon, CA - A Tiburon police sergeant fatally shot himself inside the police department headquarters while on duty on Monday, according to authorities. What is it that theyre fearing?. This street closes at 9 oclock at night, and theres never anybody in here. Ste. A Tiburon police spokesperson tells ABC7 News the town has hired an outside, independent attorney to conduct an investigation. "Had that white neighbor not said anything that night, maybe Yema wouldn't be here with us today and I would let that sink in for a minute," Hawi Awash told ABC 7 News. Theyre the ones with the guns, theyre the ones with the badge, theyre the ones with the authority, she said. The newly released footage begins about 6 minutes before that video begins, when Madfes is already parked on Tiburon Boulevard at Main Street and is getting out of his squad car. CNN Pittsburgh has moved to fire five police officers after an internal investigation into the October death of a man involved in the suspected theft of a bicycle, officials said Wednesday. You sure? A Black. At one point, 465 members of the public were virtually attending the forum and, in addition to the speakers, we received 79 items of written correspondence.. In it, the officers, who first note that Khalif is in the store at 1 a.m., past the typical 9 p.m. shut-down time for activity on the street, can be heard repeatedly demanding that Khalif prove his ownership of the business, either by showing identification or putting his key in the shops door. At the conclusion of the investigation the report will be provided to the Town Manager for review and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the investigator.". Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. According to Khalif, the officer sat in his parked vehicle for about 20 minutes before approaching Khalif, asking him to identify himself, explain why they were inside the store, and informing them that backup was on the way. Fredericks said Cronin is planning a department-wide racial-bias training for late next month, which has been in the works since the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis in May, which led to widespread protests and mounting calls to end racial injustice and police brutality. Update: Tiburon Town Council & Belvedere City Council Virtual Town Hall & Community Forum 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27. https://zoom.us/j/95644043303 or 669-900-6833, meeting ID 956 4404 3303. Comment at the meeting, or in advance by emailing comments@townoftiburon.org. Khalif said Fredericks came by the shop on Aug. 24, two days after she had sent out her email statement extending her heartfelt apologies to the couple. I was not specifically aware of that event.. Awash, however, said this is not the first negative interaction with Tiburon police; she said shes been stopped more than five times by another officer. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. "This particular day we had just received a huge inventory and we just wanted to come out and put the inventory out before Saturday morning," said Khalif. Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith were fired on Jan. 20 after an administrative investigation found they had violated department policy on the. While Tiburon Police Chief Michael Cronin and Town Manager Greg Chanis have ordered an independent investigation into the incident, the results of which will be reviewed by the Town Council, Cronin said neither Blasi nor the two other officers involved would be suspended or put on administrative leave amid the investigation. The four fired men were Patrol Officer Juan Lugo Perez, Sgt. RELATED: Santa Clara University professor, her brother racially profiled by campus guards, In an emailed statement writing, "The Town is engaging the services of an outside, independent attorney to conduct an investigation of the incident involving a local business owner and Tiburon Police Officers on August 21 at 10 Main Street. That's all we want to know. Blasi was hired last year by the department after more than 15 years at the Marin County Sheriffs Office as a SWAT team leader, investigator and gang task-force officer. If I tell you its my store, then what? Khalif responded. As Madfes approaches the store, Khalif, Awash and the friend can be seen inside at the checkout counter, apparently talking with each other. Reporter Hannah Weikel covers the city of Belvedere, as well as crime, courts and public safety issues on the Tiburon Peninsula. That report led to 72 Philadelphia officers placed on administrative duty, of whom 13 were fired. Why would the police believe some white guy yelling from his balcony and not the Black business owner stating he owned the business? she wrote. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 |. The people in the store included co-owners Yema Khalif and Hawai Awash, the only Black store owners in town. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. Matthew Tom has been working as a homepage editor at SFGATE since 2006. Reporter Hannah Weikel and Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. TIBURON, Calif. - A Tiburon couple who own a clothing store is accusing police of racially profiling them. Even after the supervisor walked away, the officer who first approached the store said, "Can you put the key in the door please?". After Cronins exit, the town arranged for Undersheriff Jamie Scardina to run the police department on a part-time interim basis while a consulting firm recruited a new chief. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. We all want this to resolve in a positive way, she said, noting she hopes the incident sparks conversation about police reform and real policing that uses empathy to police our community.. He did not comment on whether officers will face disciplinary actions pending the outcome of the investigation. David Zalubowski/AP. Ive not been feeling the reality of it. Two five-member interview panels, one consisting of community members and the other of professionals, held two meetings to narrow the applicants down to three, said Town Manager Greg Chanis. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. A patrol officer saw people in the store at 1 a.m. and questioned why they were there. Then show me that its your store, said the officer. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7, Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF, Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues, Santa Clara University professor, her brother racially profiled by campus guards, Berkeley mom films confrontation with white man who ripped down Black Lives Matter signs. Is it your store? Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash, owners of the Yema clothing shop. The newly released body-cam footage appears to highlight this further, with clearer audio than the cellphone footage that also shows a stark contrast between Blasis demeanor and that of Madfes, who speaks calmly throughout the first half of the video while Blasi then frequently shouts over Khalif and tells him he should be grateful. Other business owners have come forward to say that on the rare occasions they work late into the night, they've never been stopped and questioned at all, while Khalif was not only interrogated, Madfes had already called for backup before he first knocked on the door. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Your email address will not be published. Ryan Monaghan, who has worked at the San Mateo department for 27 years, will start the new job on April 5. The Aug. 21 incident is the second time in recent months the Tiburon Police Department has come under public scrutiny for its response to racial issues in the wake of the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd and ensuing Black Lives Matter protests across the country, including several in Tiburon. Ultimately, I sign off on every hire for the town, Chanis said. Monaghan has taught administration of justice at the San Mateo Community College District. Other downtown business owners rallied around the couple, saying theyve never been questioned by police while working late into the evening, past closing time, including Chelsea Ialeggio, a real-estate agent who said she has had offices in town with both Frank Howard Allen and now at Vanguard Properties. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. In 1999 the department moved into its current location at 1155 Tiburon Blvd. Cause you dont sound like youre very grateful. Tiburon Mayor Alice Fredericks called their behavior unacceptable and issued a public apology, and she and Belvederes mayor each apologized personally to Khalif and Awash. He went through the normal background check, Cronin said. After the panel interviews, I met with each finalist for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, and then each finalist had the opportunity to tour the police station.. She said that included conversations about how police officers can re-examine their implicit biases and eliminate their own fear on the job. VIDEO: Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF, "There was nothing suspicious about their activity," says one person. One of several discussion threads on Nextdoor.com had racked up 234 comments by the Arks press deadline. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. The Tiburon Police Department was established in 1972 following the town's incorporation by eight years. Henry Ty McGowan, Detective Seneca Shields and. Khalif spoke at the rally. A percentage of all sales are donated to Road to Freedom Scholarships for the education of orphaned children in Ethiopia and Kenya, a program that was started by Danish actress and part-time Tiburon resident Connie Nielsen. Questions as the first officer, including what the three were doing there late at.... We know that Tiburon loves us back, Awash said allege racial after... Accusing police of racially profiling them resignation in a newsletter saying [ Sgt '' said Khalif police officers re-examine. Profiling after confronting a Black business owner stating he owned the business sparked widespread outrage within the community meeting after! 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