He did not comment on whether officers will face disciplinary actions pending the outcome of the investigation. 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. 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. He opened the store this past February and says it's not unusual for them to work late into the night. I have been stopped for taking a walk to my house. A Black business owner believes he was racially profiled by police as he was filling inventory inside his store last Friday at 1 a.m. 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. September 8, 2020 / 7:45 PM FYI, a popular restaurant close to us was still open and I could see their employees working late. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. I sat in on these interviews, but did not participate, Chanis said. In a later interview, Simpson said he was concerned by the way the three officers were surrounding Khalif. In 1999 the department moved into its current location at 1155 Tiburon Blvd. All Rights Reserved. @shaunking @beyonce @chakabars @lauraharrier @buzzfeed @nowthisnews @aljazeeraenglish @cnn @bbcnews @latimes @nytimes @wsj @ava @shondarhimes @kuz @kingjames @oprah @voguemagazine @essence @adutakech @tiffanyhaddish, A post shared by YEMA (@yemacalif) on Aug 21, 2020 at 3:33pm PDT. ", In the video you can hear the supervisor say, "You should be grateful that we're being as diligent as we are to look out for the street, that's all we do.". They refused to leave until I proved it, Khalif said in the post. It was saddening to see that there wasnt any recognition from the police involved that this was a situation where they made a mistake.. The police denied a racial motive and said they were doing their jobs. The situation started getting out of hand so our friend from DC started recording the exchange (Video below). Our store alarm did not go off, no one called the police, everything was peaceful. I expressed to him that there was no crime going on and we were going about our business. Ste. Again, Khalif says hell speak to the supervisor, but Madfes insists Khalif is required to give me a lawful reason why youre here.. 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Ste. The incident revolves around the officers assertions that because most Main Street businesses shut down about 9 or 10 p.m., and theyd never seen workers inside the shop at 1 a.m., Khalif was required to explain to the officers why they were inside and provide some physical evidence identification or a key in the door that he is the owner. Is it your store? 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, Cronin said. 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. Blasi made $10,122 a month. Tiburons Hank Easom was locally renowned sailor, After earthquakes, Tiburon resident seeks aid for native Turkey, Six vying for interim seat on Tiburon Town Council, Former mayor and longtime volunteer named Belvedere Citizen of the Year, Study details threat of water from below in combatting sea rise, Residents sound off, urge action at Belvedere coyote forum, Angel Island ferry to be states first all-electric short-run ferry, Angel Island honored for effort to turn historic hospital into museum, 2022 The Ark, AMMI Publishing Co. Inc. | 1550 Tiburon Blvd. Ste. Theyre the ones with the guns, theyre the ones with the badge, theyre the ones with the authority, she said. Yema Khalif, the only Black store owner in Tiburon, speaks out in front of the police dept. Khalif insisted that if he acknowledged he was the owner, absent the officers explanation of a problem, evidence of a crime or reason to doubt him, he didnt need to explain why he was in his own store after hours. Mayor Alice Fredericks issued an apology on Saturday and went in person to talk to the store owners on Monday. Do you want us to look out for the community or do you want us to let anybody walk in here at 2 oclock in the morning and steal all your stuff? Blasi is heard saying on the video. OK, thats fine. 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. 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. The heated exchange, which began shortly after 1 a.m. Aug. 21, was partially recorded from inside the store by Khalifs friend while his partner and store co-founder, Hawi Awash, stood back from the door. "There's three Black people in the store, what's the problem?" Put your key in the door and were out of here. 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. "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. 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.. I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1 o'clock in the morning.". A video of the incident that Awash recorded was widely shared on social media, and the town released police body-camera footage. 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. I dont have to show anything to you, Khalif can be heard saying. Is it your store that's all we want to know? At one point he stopped across our store for a good minute. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 | 415-435-2652 | Privacy Policy| Designed by Kevin Hessel. 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. Reach her at 415-944-4627. Chanis has denied that Cronin's retirement is connected to the incident involving the business owners, according to the Marin IJ. On Aug. 21, Khalif issued a statement on the companys Facebook page explaining what had happened early that morning. How they dont know Yema is beyond me, he said. Persons seeking assistance need only lift the phone to be connected with a dispatcher. In the video, Khalif is at the door of his own store talking with a Tiburon police supervisor. The recording shows a Tiburon officer, identified as supervising Sgt. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Lewis Powell, Sgt. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. First published on September 8, 2020 / 7:45 PM. All the applicants expressed an understanding of the events that have transpired in Tiburon in the last eight months, Chanis said. The supervisor demanded Khalif put his key in the door to prove ownership when a neighbor shouted at police identifying him. Blasi begins asking the same questions as the first officer, including what the three were doing there late at night. And he wanted us to prove who we are. FYI, we didnt realize that when he was circling the block he was calling for back up. 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. 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. We are focused on how to prevent this from happening again, she said. I confirmed that I am the business owner, but they wanted me to prove it. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Emergency Operations Center The supervising officer, Tiburon Sgt. He's hoping the recorded interaction will inspire a different conversation. It first operated from 80 Main Street before moving in the late 70s into surplus military housing near its present site. The Tiburon Police Department was established in 1972 following the towns incorporation by eight years. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 |. They opened the athletic apparel boutique in February. Really? Ryan Monaghan, who has worked at the San Mateo department for 27 years, will start the new job on April 5. It sounded like a fist-fight was going to happen, Simpson said. The nearly 11-minute recording includes about 5 previously unseen minutes of the incident, which occurred about 1 a.m. Aug. 21 at Yema, the "action . Cronin's announcement comes one week after Sgt. 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.. Michael Blasi was the supervising officer on Aug.. 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. Our community needs to come together and find real ways to train our police officers to police with empathy and love., Marin police face-off with Black merchant fuels, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, Tiburon police face-off with Black merchant fuels outrage, probe, Draymond Green explains his issue with Black History Month: Why do we get the shortest month?. A place where Ive lived for nine and a half years? During the arrest, Grime fell unconscious and died in the hospital two days later. Ste. 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. Cronin declined to directly comment on the Aug. 21 incident until the investigation has concluded, but he confirmed Blasi and the other officers involved would continue coming to work through the investigation. In an interview Aug. 24, Fredericks called the officers behavior unacceptable, and said the Police Department is in the process of hiring an attorney to conduct an independent investigation into the incident. Second Lt. Caron Nazario, who is Black and Latino, is suing over the incident, claiming the two officers violated his rights guaranteed under the First and Fourth Amendments. 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 . VIDEO: Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF. Khalif was also a speaker at the 2018 Belvedere-Tiburon Librarys Pop-Up 94920 series. Chief Michael Cronin is resigning after 12 years amid a blacklash over his handling of the George Floyd protests and a recent incident involving an officer and the only Black clothing store owner in Tiburon. Their pictures are even on the store's walls. Khalif said he was wearing the same outfit as the mannequin he was standing next to while talking to police from the doorway. Michael Blasi demanded Khalif and 2 other Black ppl prove they were allowed to be in the store. "Since becoming Police Chief in 2007, the impact of Mikes leadership has been significant for Tiburon," Chanis said. After a few minutes, Blasi and another officer arrived, which is when the interaction starts being recorded. 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. If they had just proved it was their business then that wouldve been it.. The town announced Blasis resignation on Tuesday. ", The community meeting comes after the city released body cam video showing the back and forth between both sides. The incident was recorded by Yema Khalifs wife and business partner Hawi Awash from inside their clothing store Yema on Main Street around 1 a.m. Friday. The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. In our 50th year serving Tiburon, Belvedere & Strawberry. Michael Blasi, who resigned not long after he was videotaped confronting a Black business owner who was unloading inventory into his store at one in the morning, last August. Ive not been feeling the reality of it. Comment at the meeting, or in advance by emailing comments@townoftiburon.org. Criminal-law experts and civil-liberties organizations say there is no requirement to produce identification even when detained unless youre operating a motor vehicle, which requires state-issued certification, or you have been arrested or booked for a crime. They opened the athletic apparel boutique in February. Officers from both the Tiburon and Belvedere police departments arrived that August 2020 night around 1 a.m., when Khalif, Awash and a friend were stocking clothes at the upscale boutique on . The county settled with Grimes family for nearly $1 million. I still believe that the person at the head, Chief Cronin, needs to take some responsibility and do the same that Blasi did and step down, Austin said. One of the. Yema's wife says the officer had his hand on his gun. Tiburon police records show that no one called police about suspicious activity at the store, and no alarms had been set off. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! To the right in the video, a mannequin frequently is in view, just feet from Khalif, who has approached the door dressed in identical clothing distinctive, African-inspired athletic-leisurewear. 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. After it was over I was shaking, Awash said. If I tell you its my store, then what? Khalif asks in the video. Blasi has responded to numerous law enforcement-related questions on Quora, a question-and-answer website, over the last few years. Khalif begins speaking over the officer when Awash appears to say, OK baby? but Khalif tells her No, no and again asks the officer if theres a problem. Moments later, a neighbor awoken by the yelling can be heard telling police that Khalif was the store owner. Then we see Tiburon police car patrolling. Blasi was one of four sheriffs deputies involved in a wrongful death lawsuit after Cary Grime was arrested in 2003 for public intoxication in Novato. Footage of the incident on August 21st can be seen on YEMAs Instagram (@Yemacalif). / CBS San Francisco. 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. 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. 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. In the post, Khalif described seeing a lone police officer circle the block a number of times before stopping his patrol vehicle and knocking on the storefront door. It is unclear whether or not the police received a 911 call that prompted their presence at YEMA late that night. Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. Michael Blasi arrived and an officer asked her husband to take his hands out of his pockets. Monaghan has taught administration of justice at the San Mateo Community College District. Also sacked were Sgt. Awash characterized the conversation as positive. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. Davina Adjani, a protest organizer, said the might be postponed in light of the resignation, but that Cronin is still a problem for hiring Blasi despite the red flags in his past. Thank you, see ya, Blasi says as he turns and walks away toward Fountain Plaza. In our 50th year serving Tiburon, Belvedere & Strawberry. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Khalif says he wasnt angry, just putting his foot down. The next day when I woke up, I was like, Holy s, what just happened?. In an Aug. 24 interview, Awash had said the officers tone was aggressive and suspicious and that he didnt identify himself or ask if they were working late. Cronin's departure comes on the heels of Sgt. The Tiburon Police Department was established in 1972 following the town's incorporation by eight years. Khalif said despite previous negative encounters with police in town, he andAwash said they love Tiburon and the outpouring from the community, town manager and council members has given them hope. Other people defended the police actions, denying that there was any racial motivation behind the interaction and saying Khalif was in the wrong. Early release leading to academic unsettlement for student athletes, Tam's emergency and natural disaster readiness, GSA Advocates for Gender Neutral Changing Rooms, Bolinas and Stinson Beach students face frightening commute, Tamalpais High School's gender and sexuality alliance. 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. Still, other locals questioned Khalifs reaction to the police, and said he should have proved ownership when asked. He said he was surrounded by officers who told him they were responding to a call about a person touching peoples cars.. 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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Where do you live? Madfes says. Khalif and Awash said Chanis, the town manager, reached out to them after the incident, and the three met on Aug. 23. Blasi offered, and the town has accepted, his voluntary resignation.. Yesterday was one of those days. The officers repeatedly asserted, however, that Khalif was required to show identification, but California does not have a stop-and-identify statue. TAKE ACTION: Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues. 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. Before opening their Tiburon storefront, the couple started selling their clothing online in 2016. There's video of the interaction and an investigation underway. Cronin said he wasnt aware of Blasis involvement in the Grime case when the department hired him last year. 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. Michael Blasi was the supervising officer on Aug. 21 during the incident at Yema, a clothing store on Main Street. In it, you can hear officers questioning Khalif multiple times: "Do one of you own the store?". Next time, just walk and the audio and video cut out. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. It came from knowing that in one split second they could end someones life.. Reporter Hannah Weikel and Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. In a later interview, Awash pointed out that there are large posters on the stores walls of both she and Khalif modeling their clothing. Maybe because I am a blonde caucasian there was no reason that they cared to check on why I was there or felt the need to make me get out my key to prove I belonged there.. While K-9 officer Larry Holladay, Patrol Officer Patrick. The investigation needs to go further than just this incident at Yema, said Adjani, a friend of the store owners. Matthew Tom has been working as a homepage editor at SFGATE since 2006. Many speakers provided meaningful suggestions and identified specific actions the councils could consider to ensure our communities are safe and welcoming to all, Chanis said. Then finally, the cop decided to come knock on our store door. 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. He doesn't believe that would have happened if he was white. Cronin faced backlash in June following a press release that warned residents of Sausalito and Tiburon that they might be targets of unrest caused by a Marin City demonstration in protest of the murder of George Floyd, which remained peaceful. Were here because we love Tiburon, and we know that Tiburon loves us back, Awash said. Comment at the meeting, or in advance by emailing comments@townoftiburon.org. Two Tiburon police officials, Sergeant Michael Blasi and Police Chief Michael Cronin resigned September 1 and 13 following allegations of officers racially profiling a Black store owner in Tiburon. Khalif: "If I tell you it's my store then what? There's video of the interaction and an investigation underway. 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. 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. How can policing be done with empathy," said Khalif. When a police officer leaves their department because of misconduct, there's no easy public way for people to know if they're rehired elsewhere in law enforcement. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Blasi and two other officers then leave. Khalif then told the officers that they are are exercising unnecessary caution because there are three Black people in the store, according to the video. Where people know me? Michael Blasi, was posted by Khalif to social media later Aug. 21. Khalif spoke at the rally. 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. Khalif and Awash said Chanis, the town manager, reached out to them after the incident, and the three met on Aug. 23. When we hire police, the police chief makes a recommendation, but the town manager approves every hire.. 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. Im not going to answer your question. I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1 o'clock in the morning," says the supervisor. The couple was working late with a friend and business associate from Washington, D.C., Awash said, adding that its not uncommon for them to work late into the night setting up displays and doing inventory. 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. Thats when we knew he had already called for back up. What is it that theyre fearing?. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Required fields are marked *. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 | 415-435-2652 | Privacy Policy| Designed by Kevin Hessel. The incident, early last Friday morning, is now the subject of an independent . Tiburon officials have selected a San Mateo police lieutenant as the towns next police chief, filling a post that had been vacant for six months. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. What is it that theyre fearing?. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. In these conversations, Sergeant Blasi expressed his love for Tiburon and described the deep connection he developed during his time serving the community, Chanis wrote in a message to residents. Cronin denies his departure is linked to the incident. Named among the state's & nation's best small weeklies, 2014, 2018-2021 California News Publishers Association &, Tiburon releases body-cam footage of police questioning Black merchant, About 6 minutes of cellphone footage of the encounter with the supervisor, Tiburon police Sgt.

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