tiburon police officer fired

Blasi made $10,122 a month. Japanese Americans won redress for World War II interment camps, now they fight for Black reparations, Civil rights activist Roslyn Pope dies; her Appeal for Human Rights helped launch campaign of boycotts, sit-ins, Letters: Stone is wrong | Unnecessarily complex | Everymans EV | Coaching equity | No infrastructure. 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. The Los Angeles Times broke the story about former officers charged with conspiracy and vandalism in connection to a swastika spray-painting on a citizen's car. Blasi joined the Tiburon Police Department in June 2019. Khalif, who designs most of the companys clothing, grew up in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. The situation started getting out of hand so our friend from DC started recording the exchange (Video below). Thursday the City of Tiburon and City of Belvedere held a joint virtual community meeting about an incident where officers questioned a Black business owner, who was working late in his store last week. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. "How can we do better as a community? Blasi offered, and the town has accepted, his voluntary resignation." Ryan Monaghan, who has worked at the San Mateo department for 27 years, will start the new job on April 5. Khalif spoke at the rally. A key component of that training is the expectation that our officers will utilize de-escalation techniques in situations like there. In a later interview, Simpson said he was concerned by the way the three officers were surrounding Khalif. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1 o'clock in the morning.". A Black. Please enter valid email address to continue. In another post, Blasi is asked what kind of behavior can get someone in trouble with the police, to which he responded, resisting a detention or arrest and failing to identify yourself or providing ID when directed by an officer., He also says he wouldnt recommend anyone become a police officer in todays environment, citing media and social-media scrutiny, internet armchair quarterbacks evaluating every real-time decision (and) unqualified and incompetent civilian-oversight committees that are usually someones bulls political agenda.. Is it your store? 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. "Just because you've never seen me here before I do not have to prove to you that I have to be here," said Khalif in the video. Awash said both she and Khalif have been heartened by the support from the Tiburon community, with both reiterating they feel lucky to live in town. California Attorney General Rob Bonta launched an independent investigation Wednesday into the Torrance Police Department after evidence emerged that officers were sharing racist and homophobic . Your email address will not be published. In 2004, Blasi was one of the deputies involved in a wrongful death lawsuit after a 47-year-old man named Cary Grime was arrested and hogtied in Novato. ", Others responded with different views, saying that officers were just doing their job. 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.. The finalists were interviewed in person at Town Hall on Jan. 26 by Scardina, Public Works Director Steve Palmer, Community Development Director Dina Tasini and Administrative Services Director Suzanne Creekmore. Police Chief Michael Cronin said the town has engaged the services of an independent attorney to conduct an investigation into the incident. Ultimately, I sign off on every hire for the town, Chanis said. The supervisor demanded Khalif put his key in the door to prove ownership when a neighbor shouted at police identifying him. Despite resigning, Blasi will cooperate with an independent investigation led by a lawyer the town retained, Chanis said. Emergency Operations Center Put your key in the door and were out of here. Im not going to answer your question. Kevin Hessel is The Arks executive editor. I opened the door for him then he proceeded to tell me his purpose for knocking on our door was to check what we were doing at the store that late. I was not specifically aware of that event.. Khalif said when it became clear the officer wasnt understanding him, he asked the officer to call his supervisor. 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.. OK, thats fine. About 2 minutes into the video, Khalif says that if Madfes has a problem, call your chief of police, call whoever you wanna call at which point Madfes acknowledges his supervisor, Blasi, is already on his way, consistent with Khalifs previous accounts of the incident. Khalif and Awash said Chanis, the town manager, reached out to them after the incident, and the three met on Aug. 23. Then we see Tiburon police car patrolling. As Madfes approaches the store, Khalif, Awash and the friend can be seen inside at the checkout counter, apparently talking with each other. Proceeds from clothing sales help send orphans go to school. TIBURON, Calif. . The recording shows a Tiburon officer, identified as supervising Sgt. The former chief, Michael Cronin, retired in September after a public backlash over an incident involving two Black store owners. That seemed to satisfy the officers, and they promptly left without the proof they had demanded for roughly 10 minutes. Everything I was saying fell on deaf ears.. Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. Matthew Tom has been working as a homepage editor at SFGATE since 2006. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Blasi then can be heard asking Khalif why he is bringing race into the conversation. 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. The video which has been viewed more than 30,000 times on the stores Instagram page and shared more than 750 times on its Facebook page triggered an overwhelming community response of concern and outrage, including hundreds of comments on online neighborhood forum Nextdoor.com. A statement agreed upon by all of the parties to the lawsuit said that investigations by the San Rafael Police Department and the FBI concluded that there was no criminal conduct and no criminal violation of Grimes civil rights by the sheriffs office. On Aug. 21 at about 1 a.m., police officers confronted the couple, who were inside their shop. What is it that theyre fearing?. It first operated from 80 Main Street before moving in the late 70's into surplus military housing near its present site. "We are extraordinarily sad to report the loss. On August 21, a recording of three officers, including Blasi, went viral on Instagram where they can be heard questioning Yema Khalif, the owner of YEMA, which is the only Black-owned clothing store in Tiburon. Reach her at 415-944-4627. Michael Blasi, was, 2022 The Ark, AMMI Publishing Co. Inc. | 1550 Tiburon Blvd. The county settled a lawsuit by Grimes family for nearly $1 million. Based on this belief, Sgt. Tiburon Mayor Alice Fredericks told the Marin IJ she was not surprised by the announcement, but it came "a few weeks earlier than expected. "We're trying to build a brand with a big heart," said Khalif. Michael Blasi demanded Khalif and 2 other Black ppl prove they were allowed to be in the store. Chanis said 60 people provided public comment during the four-hour forum. The two engage, mostly in circles, for the next minute as Madfes repeatedly asks why the three are there so late, and Khalif, at times visibly showing frustration, repeatedly asks why it matters if theres no problem. Reporter Hannah Weikel covers the city of Belvedere, as well as crime, courts and public safety issues on the Tiburon Peninsula. Tiburon, CA - A Tiburon police sergeant fatally shot himself inside the police department headquarters while on duty on Monday, according to authorities. ", The community meeting comes after the city released body cam video showing the back and forth between both sides. Next time, just walk and the audio and video cut out. Yesterday was one of those days. Again, Khalif says hell speak to the supervisor, but Madfes insists Khalif is required to give me a lawful reason why youre here.. 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. 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. 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.. Required fields are marked *. Sept. 10, 2020 1:17 AM PT. 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. I think the town owes the police an apology, Joyce Wells said. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. Last night we had a not so good exchange with Tiburon police at our place of work. In it, you can hear officers questioning Khalif multiple times: "Do one of you own the store?". Ive not been feeling the reality of it. The police chief of the wealthy Bay Area town of Tiburon has announced his retirement as the community reels over a confrontation between police and . He went on to say that both he and Awash have been stopped numerous times by Tiburon police, both in their cars and walking down the street. You can contact staff from the Police Department and get information about their divisions: Tiburon Town Hall | 1505 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon, CA 94920 | Phone: 415-435-7373 Hours: Administration: 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Planning: 8 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Building: 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Public Works: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Town Hall is closed on Fridays. The footage does not appear to contain an audio record of Madfes calling for backup Blasi, as well as the on-duty patrol officer for Belvedere who overheard the call and responded as standard operating procedure, according to Belvedere Police Chief Jason Wu, were already on their way to the scene suggesting the backup request took place before the body camera was switched on. Then show me its your store, Blasi responds. After Floyds death and ahead of a peaceful June 2 protest in Marin City, Cronin sparked outrage among the community after he issued a statement warning residents to be wary should the demonstration become violent or lead to looting on the Tiburon Peninsula neither of which happened. Nielsen met Khalif on a movie set and later helped him move to California, where he attended Dominican University of California in San Rafael, made the deans list all four years, was his class valedictorian in 2015 and was offered a full scholarship into its MBA program, where he eventually obtained his masters. Several months later, the store was named Tiburons Business of the Month. A video of the incident that Awash recorded was widely shared on social media, and the town released police body-camera footage. The investigation needs to go further than just this incident at Yema, said Adjani, a friend of the store owners. She said that included conversations about how police officers can re-examine their implicit biases and eliminate their own fear on the job. Pac-12 media rights: Our (final) predictions for the revenue, media partners, expansion decisions and more, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Awash also noted the tone of the officer, saying he came off a little bit aggressive and suspicious. She said he didnt identify himself or ask if they were working late. Khalif was also a speaker at the 2018 Belvedere-Tiburon Librarys Pop-Up 94920 series. Chanis has denied that Cronin's retirement is connected to the incident involving the business owners, according to the Marin IJ. We do not need to prove why we need to exist, Khalif said. ORIGINAL STORY: Tiburon police demand Black business owner prove who he is, Two videos show an officer saying, "This street closes at 9 o'clock at night and there's never anybody in here. "There's three Black people in the store, what's the problem?" Ste. Blasi offered, and the town has accepted, his voluntary resignation., On the night of the alleged racial profiling incident, Khalif, his wife. The Ark requested the body-camera footage, names of the involved officers and the full police report Aug. 24 and 25, but officials refused the request, saying they would not release any additional information until the conclusion of the investigation. The couple met at Dominican University of California in San Rafael. Monaghans starting annual salary is $195,000, which is 3% less than Cronins salary, Chanis said. Is it your store that's all we want to know? However, he believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon.. They refused to leave until I proved it, Khalif said in the post. The store was well-lighted, and police reports show no alarm had sounded and no one had otherwise reported suspicious activity. Awash was born in Ethiopia and lived as a refugee in Kenya before moving with her family to Minnesota. The officers immediately left the store. Both Khalif and Awash said they noticed a Tiburon police car driving slowly by their storefront while they were working inside with their friend about 1 a.m. Aug. 21. Thats all we want to know, Blasi says. Awash began recording as Sgt. All Rights Reserved. It came from knowing that in one split second they could end someones life.. As Madfes walks away and catches up to Blasi, Blasi can be heard saying, He says its his store, thats good enough for me. Comment at the meeting, or in advance by emailing comments@townoftiburon.org. He doesn't believe that would have happened if he was white. First hired by the Belvedere Police Department in 2017, Blasi is considered a supervisor in Tiburon, where he earns an annual salary of $99,888 with a $20,324 benefits package. Pac-12 media rights: Our (final) predictions for the revenue, media partners, expansion decisions and more, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. I, kindly, explained that we didnt have to prove anything and asked for a supervisor. ", Khalif: "I do not have to show you nothing. YEMA is the only black owned clothing store in Tiburon, California so many people in our community know who we are. "I didn't see anything racist that the policemen said to those fine people. 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.. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Should you desire additional information that doesnt appear on the site, please contact us directly at 415-789-2801 or by using the department directory. Henry Ty McGowan, Detective Seneca Shields and. I think of all of the very late nights I have worked in those offices and never once did the police come by to see who was there as I sat at my desk clearly visible in the window, she wrote in an citizen complaint to Cronin that was shared with The Ark. Before that, he worked as a police officer in Belvedere for about two years, and earlier he spent 17 years as a deputy with the Marin County Sheriffs Office. Blasi has responded to numerous law enforcement-related questions on Quora, a question-and-answer website, over the last few years. Awash was born in Ethiopia and lived as a refugee in Kenya before moving with her family to Minnesota. I sat in on these interviews, but did not participate, Chanis said. Can you prove that its your store?, Khalif: I do not have to prove anything to you, its my store., Blasi: Oh my god, yes you do have to prove who you are., Khalif: I do not have to prove my existence to you.. Moments later, a neighbor awoken by the yelling can be heard telling police that Khalif was the store owner. Based on this belief, Sgt. Their pictures are even on the store's walls. The protest, which featured a diverse array of Black speakers in the community, including Marin residents Paul Austin and Amber Allen-Peirson, called for police reformation, community reparations, and institutionalized changes to prevent further racial profiling. Cronin's announcement comes one week after Sgt. Mayor Alice Fredericks issued an apology on Saturday and went in person to talk to the store owners on Monday. Tiburon officials say an independent investigation is now underway, which is the reason why officers were not at Thursday's meeting. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. And he wanted us to prove who we are. Just seconds later, the interaction ended abruptly when a neighbor who lives farther down Main Street yelled from his balcony to confirm Khalif was the owner. Really? She said that included conversations about how police officers can re-examine their implicit biases and eliminate their own fear on the job. 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. 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