In the video, Blasi eventually says Khalif should be grateful that the officers are looking out for his shop. The former chief, Michael Cronin, retired in September after a public backlash over an incident involving two Black store owners. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. There's video of the interaction and an investigation underway. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Our store alarm did not go off, no one called the police, everything was peaceful. Awash said she was shaking while recording the incident at the store because of the prior negative encounters with Tiburon police. After Khalif asks four times what happens next if he acknowledges it is, Blasi says Khalif should be grateful that the officers are looking out for his shop. The couple say they had received a large shipment of merchandise and that they and a visiting friend and business associate had been restocking the store to prepare for the weekend shortly before a patrol officer knocked on the door and questioned why they were there. 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. Reporter Hannah Weikel and Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. The situation started getting out of hand so our friend from DC started recording the exchange (Video below). 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. The supervising officer, Tiburon Sgt. At least three large posters of Khalif and Awash modeling their clothes are visible on the rear wall throughout the footage. 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. 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. In a year marked by the killings of Black people at the hands of law enforcement, leading to protests nationwide calling for police reform, the conduct of the Tiburon officers is particularly tone . Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. A 6-minute video of the incident was posted to Instagram and Facebook by Yema Khalif, the co-owner of the action fashion wear boutique Yema at 10 Main St. Mayor Alice Fredericks on Aug. 22 sent out an email to the community apologizing to Khalif and Awash. Is it your store that's all we want to know? 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. We do not need to prove to police that we deserve to be at our clothing store way past business hours.. Again, the exchange goes in circles, but tensions rise as Madfes shouts past Khalif to ask Awash and the friend, still standing at the checkout counter to the rear, Do one of you two here own the store or have any reason to be here?, Khalif speaks over him: No, do not talk to anybody, you talk to me, youre talking to me right now., Tensions escalate further when Madfes tells Khalif, This town is my duty to protect.. September 8, 2020 / 7:45 PM Blasi begins asking the same questions as the first officer, including what the three were doing there late at night. She said that included conversations about how police officers can re-examine their implicit biases and eliminate their own fear on the job. 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. A patrol officer saw people in the store at 1 a.m. and questioned why they were there. 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. 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. "Since becoming Police Chief in 2007, the impact of Mikes leadership has been significant for Tiburon," Chanis 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. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. The department is open to the public. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. 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. David Zalubowski/AP. He went through the normal background check, Cronin said. Blasi has responded to numerous law enforcement-related questions on Quora, a question-and-answer website, over the last few years. Persons seeking assistance need only lift the phone to be connected with a dispatcher. Ive not been feeling the reality of it. 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. 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. Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. A Tiburon police spokesperson tells ABC7 News the town has hired an outside, independent attorney to conduct an investigation. I sat in on these interviews, but did not participate, Chanis said. He doesn't believe that would have happened if he was white. Comment at the meeting, or in advance by emailing comments@townoftiburon.org. ", The community meeting comes after the city released body cam video showing the back and forth between both sides. 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. 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. The supervisor demanded Khalif put his key in the door to prove ownership when a neighbor shouted at police identifying him. Michael Blasi, was posted by Khalif to social media later Aug. 21. He's hoping the recorded interaction will inspire a different conversation. 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.. ", Supervisor: "Then show me that it's your store. CNN values your feedback 1. 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. Emergency Operations Center You know, this is not something that is good for the community when this happens, so when everybody has a voice, everybody gets involved, when everybody speaks up when they see any kind of an injustice happening not being bystanders makes the community better, Khalif said. He said he was surrounded by officers who told him they were responding to a call about a person touching peoples cars.. How safe is your neighborhood? I do not have any intention of removing them at this time, Cronin said. 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. But this goes to show that when people come together good things can happen.. It does not matter. While K-9 officer Larry Holladay, Patrol Officer Patrick. According to Khalif, the officer responded that he had already called for backup before Khalif made the request. 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. Ste. She stressed the importance to use the incident as a learning step.. This isnt regular business hours, theres no customers in here. How can policing be done better? ", Khalif: "I do not have to show you nothing. That seemed to satisfy the officers, and they promptly left without the proof they had demanded for roughly 10 minutes. On Thursday, the city of Tiburon and city of Belvedere held a joint virtual community meeting with all sides reacting to the incident. This is around 1AM. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. "There's three Black people in the store, what's the problem?" In the video, Khalif can be seen wearing a protective mask and engaging with the initially maskless police supervisor, identified as Michael Blasi, who repeatedly asked Khalif to prove his identity as the owner of the store. The town announced Blasis resignation on Tuesday. Also sacked were Sgt. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. Tiburon police officers are trained and held to the highest standards of conduct. Thank you very much, thats all I need to know, Blasi said in the video and walked away toward Tiburon Boulevard. 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. Yesterday was one of those days. Supervisor and another cop - who had his hand on his gun, by the way, showed up almost immediately. 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, Tiburon police demand Black business owner prove who he is, Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF, Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues. This incident should alarm every resident in Tiburon, wrote Wolf. It sparked widespread outrage within the community and prompted town officials to order an independent investigation into the officers conduct. Before opening their Tiburon storefront, the couple started selling their clothing online in 2016. Thats where the concern should be right now the next Black man, not an apology to Yema.. It was fear. 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. Footage of the incident on August 21st can be seen on YEMAs Instagram (@Yemacalif). "He demands to know what we are doing at the store at 1 o'clock in the morning and he wants me to prove who I am," said Khalif in an interview with ABC7 News. You sound very defensive.. Next time, just walk and the audio and video cut out. 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.. A key component of that training is the expectation that our officers will utilize de-escalation techniques in situations like there. 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. today at a #BlackLivesMatter rally in response to a standoff in which Sgt. Yema Protest Speech following the incident at his storefront on August 29th. "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. 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. 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. 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 . OK, thats fine. 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. Monaghan accepted a conditional offer in February, Chanis said. Mayor Alice Fredericks issued an apology on Saturday and went in person to talk to the store owners on Monday. 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. 49K views 2 years ago Tiburon has released footage from a police officer's body-worn camera of a controversial Friday night confrontation between police and a Black business owner who was. I, kindly, explained that we didnt have to prove anything and asked for a supervisor. 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. Khalif and Awash said Chanis, the town manager, reached out to them after the incident, and the three met on Aug. 23. Critics of the officers handling of the incident note that Blasi did not de-escalate the encounter on his arrival. 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 . How they dont know Yema is beyond me, he said. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. Based on this belief, Sgt. @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. The off-camera speaker presumably makes reference to the June 2020 fatal police shooting of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, who was shot after allegedly grabbing a police officer's Taser, following a . After the video of the incident was posted on Yemas Instagram and went viral, discussion caught like wildfire across social media platforms. Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. After another shop owner yelled at police, telling them the couple did own the store, the officers left. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Marin resident Chelsea Ialeggio, who was raised in Tiburon, said she is disgusted by the incident. Cause you dont sound like youre very grateful. 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 . A place where Ive lived for nine and a half years? It came from knowing that in one split second they could end someones life.. Michael Blasi was the supervising officer on Aug.. I look forward to meeting and working with the engaged community members, our town leaders, allied agencies and especially all our town employees who are committed to providing the highest levels of service to everyone who lives, works and visits the town of Tiburon, Monaghan said. Laurie Nilsen is the Emergency Services Coordinator for both towns. A Black man can not say that, but a white man can.. 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. He opened the store this past February and says it's not unusual for them to work late into the night. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Doesnt the business owner have some responsibility for not complying, which also couldve de-escalated the situation? asked Reedlands resident Elizabeth Shapiro on Nextdoor. I do not have to show you nothing! replied Khalif. However, Linda Emberson of Tiburon countered. Maegan Hall, the female officer at the center of the scandal, has been fired, city officials said. The recording shows a Tiburon officer, identified as supervising Sgt. Belvedere City Manager Craig Middleton said one of the officers who was acting in a backup role is employed with Belvedere Police Department. "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. Body cam and cell phone footage shows the altercation as it unfolds. Im like, wait, did this happen in Tiburon? 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. Where people know me? Khalif, who designs most of the companys clothing, grew up in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. 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. Then show me that its your store, said the officer. 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.. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. TIBURON, Calif. - A Tiburon couple who own a clothing store is accusing police of racially profiling them. Khalif continually declines to do so, stating numerous times that he owns the business and asks, Whats the problem? In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. 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. The county settled with Grimes family for nearly $1 million. Some days we have to work late. The remaining footage is the body-camera perspective of the exchange previously recorded from inside the store and circulated on social media. Cronin declined to declined to identify the other two officers other than to say one works for Tiburon and the other for Belvedere. Whatever the intention of the responding offices, the interchange inappropriately deteriorated from helpful to confrontational, Fredericks wrote in an email sent to the community. Several months later, the store was named Tiburons Business of the Month. 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. 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. His tone not very like-able. 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. Reporter Hannah Weikel covers the city of Belvedere, as well as crime, courts and public safety issues on the Tiburon Peninsula. You sure? How can policing be done with empathy," said Khalif. 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. Still, other locals questioned Khalifs reaction to the police, and said he should have proved ownership when asked. 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