Town Manager Greg Chanis said the council will be holding a special online Town Hall meeting via Zoom later this week to give residents and the public an opportunity to talk about the incident. But this goes to show that when people come together good things can happen.. About 5 minutes into the footage, Blasi arrives on the scene, though Khalif notes that a third officer has also arrived a Belvedere patrol officer who is off screen but can be seen through the window in the separate video taken from inside the store and posted by Khalif to social media. VIDEO: Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF. 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. Ive not been feeling the reality of it. Its nice to see how the community has come together, and that they are saying what they want to see going forward, Khalif said. I think right now everybody should get involved just because, whats going on in the country; the climate and everything. Supervisor and another cop - who had his hand on his gun, by the way, showed up almost immediately. The recording shows a Tiburon officer, identified as supervising Sgt. In August 2020, Yema Khalif and his wife Hawi Awash both Black were in their store in Tiburon when white police officers approached them demanding that the couple show proof that they owned the store. ", The business owner tells ABC7 News, "I did feel racially profiled. Laurie Nilsen is the Emergency Services Coordinator for both towns. 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. Khalif and Awash say they had already seen the car circle the block three to four times before it stopped outside the shop, where they say it sat for about 15 minutes before the start of the town-released body-cam footage and that they had anticipated what was about to happen next. 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. 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. I think the town owes the police an apology, Joyce Wells said. Really? I have a problem with you guys being here so late and you not telling me why, Madfes says. It was unclear why late Aug. 26 Tiburon released the extended video, in which the previously unidentified Tiburon patrol officer, Isaac Madfes, speaks his first name aloud. Then show me that its your store, said the officer. The officers repeatedly asserted, however, that Khalif was required to show identification, but California does not have a stop-and-identify statue. 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. Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. September 8, 2020 / 7:45 PM As the town of Tiburon deals with a controversy involving the Police Department and a Black-owned business, Police Chief Michael Cronin announced on Tuesday that he will retire, according to. Khalif and Awash said Chanis, the town manager, reached out to them after the incident, and the three met on Aug. 23. 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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. Blasi joined the Tiburon Police Department in June 2019. I had to prove my house, street and number, and I had to prove that I lived in Tiburon, Khalif said. Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash, owners of the Yema clothing shop. 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. Owner Yema Khalif said he was insulted by the officer's demand to prove he owned the store and feels Blasi would have behaved differently if he had been white. Your email address will not be published. This isnt regular business hours, theres no customers in here. Khalif didn't answer the question, saying what people didn't see in the body cam video are the officers who had circled the business multiple times beforehand and had been watching them. The argument continued for a few more minutes, with both Blasi and Khalif raising their voices. If they had just proved it was their business then that wouldve been it.. 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. Michael Blasi arrived and an officer asked her husband to take his hands out of his pockets. Moments later, a neighbor awoken by the yelling can be heard telling police that Khalif was the store owner. How can policing be done better? Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. Khalif believes the best way Marin residents can express their solidarity is by not being bystanders to racist acts. Khalif says he wasnt angry, just putting his foot down. Nearly all the comments expressed outrage with Tiburon police with calls to hold the officers accountable. 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. 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. Tiburon Mayor Alice Fredericks told the Marin IJ she was not surprised by the announcement, but it came "a few weeks earlier than expected. 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. 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. Thats where the concern should be right now the next Black man, not an apology to Yema.. Cause you dont sound like youre very grateful. 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. TIBURON, Calif. (KGO) -- On Thursday night, a four-hour, heated virtual community meeting took place over an incident that happened in the small North Bay city of Tiburon, California. In the video, Blasi eventually says Khalif should be grateful that the officers are looking out for his shop. 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. Khalif, a resident for nearly 10 years, says hes been stopped while walking home and had to prove that he lives in Tiburon. Simpson, who is familiar with Khalif, said he was concerned by the way the three officers were surrounding him, so he yelled down to confirm Khalif was the owner. It came from knowing that in one split second they could end someones life.. According to Khalif, the officer responded that he had already called for backup before Khalif made the request. 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. Khalif said when it became clear the officer wasnt understanding him, he asked the officer to call his supervisor. 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 . On Thursday, the city of Tiburon and city of Belvedere held a joint virtual community meeting with all sides reacting to the incident. Cronin said he wasnt aware of Blasis involvement in the Grime case when the department hired him last year. 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. Where people know me? Tiburon police officers are trained and held to the highest standards of conduct. "There's three Black people in the store, what's the problem?" 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.. Khalif: "If I tell you it's my store then what? 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 said in an email to town officials. Accountability for our actions is something that everyone should want, doubly so from public servants whose job is to keep us safe, wrote Nate Lee, a Tiburon resident. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 | 415-435-2652 | Privacy Policy| Designed by Kevin Hessel. The former chief, Michael Cronin, retired in September after a public backlash over an incident involving two Black store owners. Email: mtom@sfgate.com. I do not have to show you nothing! replied Khalif. / CBS San Francisco. Khalif posted the video to Instagram. Still, other locals questioned Khalifs reaction to the police, and said he should have proved ownership when asked. Is it your store? 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. Monaghans collaborative approach and demonstrated commitment to creating meaningful community engagement really set him apart from other candidates, Chanis said. "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. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. The Tiburon Police Department has 12 sworn officers and four other employees, plus volunteer and reserve officers. Based on this belief, Sgt. Whatever the intention of the responding officers, the interchange inappropriately deteriorated from helpful to confrontational, Fredericks said in the statement, adding that Tiburon officers are trained and expected to de-escalate situations such as these. During the arrest, Grime fell unconscious and died in the hospital two days later. The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. Town Manager Greg Chanis said Blasi has had several conversations with town officials since the incident. Awash noted they had been in the shop until about 2 or 3 a.m. the day before. Marin resident Chelsea Ialeggio, who was raised in Tiburon, said she is disgusted by the incident. The confrontation led to a rally in Tiburon on Aug. 29 against racial profiling. Matthew Tom has been working as a homepage editor at SFGATE since 2006. 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. Critics of Khalif say he was argumentative and antagonizing the officers from the start, and that he could have just showed his ID and quickly ended the incident. I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1 o'clock in the morning.". Tiburon officials say an independent investigation is now underway, which is the reason why officers were not at Thursday's meeting. FYI, a popular restaurant close to us was still open and I could see their employees working late. Khalif and Awash say, however, that they shouldnt be required to repeatedly identify themselves to police to prove who they are and that they belong in town. 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. A Change.org petition, signed by nearly 500 people by The Arks press deadline, called for the immediate suspension of Blasi and an investigation into the officers involved. 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. "This street closes at 9 o'clock at night and there's never anybody in here. The governing councils are to hold a joint online Town Hall-Community Forum on Aug. 27. 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 . They refused to leave until I proved it, Khalif said in the post. TIBURON, Calif. (KGO) -- A Black business owner is speaking out after Tiburon police demanded proof he was the store's owner. Also sacked were Sgt. All Rights Reserved. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. Belvedere City Manager Craig Middleton said one of the officers who was acting in a backup role is employed with Belvedere Police Department. Theyre the ones with the guns, theyre the ones with the badge, theyre the ones with the authority, she said. 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. Im not going to answer your question. Community members pointed out Cronin had only issued a warning for the protest in Marin City, which is 61 percent non-white, including 38 percent Black, and had issued no such warnings for similar peaceful protests in other nearby predominantly white communities, including Mill Valley. Then we see Tiburon police car patrolling. In addition to normal police activities, the police station also houses the Emergency Operations Center, which is equipped to manage disaster response for Tiburon and Belvedere. A Tiburon police spokesperson tells ABC7 News the town has hired an outside, independent attorney to conduct an investigation. This is around 1AM. 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 . 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. However, he believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon.. This street closes at 9 oclock at night, and theres never anybody in here. We saw him drive around the block like 3 times. 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. "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," says Hawi Awash. 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 . 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. TAKE ACTION: Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues. I sat in on these interviews, but did not participate, Chanis said. 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. Reporter Hannah Weikel covers the city of Belvedere, as well as crime, courts and public safety issues on the Tiburon Peninsula. Investigators said the incident occurred inside the Tiburon Police Department (TPD) locker room at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Dec. 12, The Ark reported. Sfgate since 2006 it came from knowing that in one split second they could end someones life Grime when. 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