I cannot fathom how that could happen. Michael Blasi arrived and an officer asked her husband to take his hands out of his pockets. A Black. Really? 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. Blasi also receives a monthly pension of $3,224 for his time as a sheriffs deputy, said Jeff Wickham, the county pension board administrator. 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. In the post. Khalif said he was entitled to be in the store, had no obligation to identify himself and accused police of being suspicious because the store occupants were Black. If I tell you its my store, then what? Khalif responded. Thats all we want to know, Blasi says. The remaining footage is the body-camera perspective of the exchange previously recorded from inside the store and circulated on social media. 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. 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. 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. Monaghan accepted a conditional offer in February, Chanis said. A Black business owner is speaking out after Tiburon police demanded proof he was the store's owner. An officers observations of perceived race, sex and age are standard when reporting in to dispatchers, as well as in logs and police reports. TIBURON, Calif. - A Tiburon couple who own a clothing store is accusing police of racially profiling them. I expressed to him that there was no crime going on and we were going about our business. "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. Ste. 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 the Marin Independent Journal. On Thursday, the city of Tiburon and city of Belvedere held a joint virtual community meeting with all sides reacting to the incident. Khalif and Awash said Chanis, the town manager, reached out to them after the incident, and the three met on Aug. 23. Another said, "I am incensed! If this is your store, put the key in the door, Blasi can be heard saying. Madfes says there isnt, but that hes never seen anyone in the store so late. Khalif says he wasnt angry, just putting his foot down. 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. Reporter Hannah Weikel covers the city of Belvedere, as well as crime, courts and public safety issues on the Tiburon Peninsula. I want to know what youre doing in this store at one oclock in the morning? one of the officers is heard asking in the clip. 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. Thank you, see ya, Blasi says as he turns and walks away toward Fountain Plaza. However, Linda Emberson of Tiburon countered. 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. The store was well-lighted, and police reports show no alarm had sounded and no one had otherwise reported suspicious activity. 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. 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. Blasi has responded to numerous law enforcement-related questions on Quora, a question-and-answer website, over the last few years. Cronin declined to declined to identify the other two officers other than to say one works for Tiburon and the other for Belvedere. I was not specifically aware of that event.. One of the. We saw him drive around the block like 3 times. 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. There are three Black people in the store whats the problem with that?, Watch the video on Instagram at instagram.com/p/CEKwyUrJIdl. I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1 o'clock in the morning.". She stressed the importance to use the incident as a learning step.. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! TAKE ACTION: Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues. They were politely doing the job they were hired for and if the owner had cooperated right away there would not have been an issue.. One of several discussion threads on Nextdoor.com had racked up 234 comments by the Arks press deadline. 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. In one response, Blasi explained that police are not able to detain a person without a lawful, articulable reason and compel them to identify themselves. 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. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? "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. 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. Khalif recalled saying, you came here because you saw three Black people in the store.. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. A Tiburon police spokesperson tells ABC7 News the town has hired an outside, independent attorney to conduct an investigation. An autopsy found cocaine, alcohol, morphine, codeine and a Valium equivalent in his system, as well as signs of coronary disease that could have helped trigger heart failure, a pathologist said. "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. Khalif believes the best way Marin residents can express their solidarity is by not being bystanders to racist acts. 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. Ultimately, I sign off on every hire for the town, Chanis said. 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. Its nice to see how the community has come together, and that they are saying what they want to see going forward, Khalif said. 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. All Rights Reserved. The four fired men were Patrol Officer Juan Lugo Perez, Sgt. It was a nearby business owner who yelled to officers that Khalif owned the business, which diffused the situation. As the recorded interaction passes the 5-minute mark, a neighbor farther down Main Street came out onto his balcony and yelled at the officers that Khalif was the owner of the store. Then he insisted that he wanted us to prove who we are and to explain what we were doing at the store that late. 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. A Black man can not say that, but a white man can.. The Tiburon and Belvedere council held a joint meeting on Thursday to give the polarized community a chance to weigh in. Tiburon, CA - A Tiburon police sergeant fatally shot himself inside the police department headquarters while on duty on Monday, according to authorities. I do not have any intention of removing them at this time, Cronin said. Tiburon police officers are trained and held to the highest standards of conduct. About 6 minutes of cellphone footage of the encounter with the supervisor, Tiburon police Sgt. If I tell you its my store, then what? Khalif asks in the video. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. Our store alarm did not go off, no one called the police, everything was peaceful. Tiburon chief Cronin also resigned effective September 13, in response to the alleged racial profiling incident at YEMA. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 |. Khalif said he wasnt particularly impressed with that statement. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. 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. VIDEO: Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF. Proceeds from clothing sales help send orphans go to school. After it was over I was shaking, Awash said. Is it your store? This isnt regular business hours, theres no customers in here. TIBURON, Calif. . 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 Tiburon Police Department was established in 1972 following the towns incorporation by eight years. 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. In 1999 the department moved into its current location at 1155 Tiburon Blvd. What is it that theyre fearing?. Before Khalif was able to show the three officers that he had a working key to the store, an unnamed local can be heard from afar verifying that Khalif was the owner. "We are extraordinarily sad to report the loss. The confrontation led to a rally in Tiburon on Aug. 29 against racial profiling. Cronin quickly apologized, saying he stood in support of peaceful protests in Marin City and condemned racism, social injustice and police brutality. 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. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. 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. Sgt. He doesn't believe that would have happened if he was white. In a later interview, Awash pointed out that there are large posters on the stores walls of both she and Khalif modeling their clothing. Awash said other business owners work late at night and pointed to portraits of the couple that are clearly visible through the storefront window. It first operated from 80 Main Street before moving in the late 70's into surplus military housing near its present site. The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. 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.". ", 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.". said Yema Khalif in a video his friend took. "How can we do better as a community? The supervising officer, Tiburon Sgt. 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. A virtual Tiburon town meeting was held Thursday night to discuss an interaction that took place over the weekend between police officers and the only Black store owners in the town. 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. Ste. 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. OK, thats fine. Their pictures are even on the store's walls. / CBS San Francisco. FYI, we didnt realize that when he was circling the block he was calling for back up. The officers immediately left the store. 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. Store proprietor Yema Khalif, his wife and. Nearly all the comments expressed outrage with Tiburon police with calls to hold the officers accountable. Where do you live? Madfes says. 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. Once she found out about Blasis past, she said she felt lucky the situation did not end with violence. This isnt regular business hours, theres no customers in here. Michael Blasi, was, 2022 The Ark, AMMI Publishing Co. Inc. | 1550 Tiburon Blvd. 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. In the incident, which was recorded on video, two Tiburon officers and a Belvedere officer pressed Yema Khalif and Hawai Awash to identify themselves after seeing them in their clothing shop at 1 a.m. Khalif claimed racial profiling, which the officers denied. 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?. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 | 415-435-2652 | Privacy Policy| Designed by Kevin Hessel. Michael Blasi demanded Khalif and 2 other Black ppl prove they were allowed to be in the store. 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. Khalif, an immigrant from Kenya, refused, arguing that police officers should know the business owners in the community. Reporter Hannah Weikel and Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. The people in the store included co-owners Yema Khalif and Hawai Awash, the only Black store owners in town. 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. Supervisor and another cop - who had his hand on his gun, by the way, showed up almost immediately. Monaghan has taught administration of justice at the San Mateo Community College District. You know what, put the key in the door and were outta here., Khalif is seen picking through his keys as he tells Blasi to stand back and not raise his voice at him: Just chill and Ill put my key in the door., Before he can, neighbor Ken Simpson, a part-time resident of a Main Street apartment, yells down twice, Thats his store.. 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. Blasi made $10,122 a month. 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 . The couple met at Dominican University. Police officers in a California town have been accused of racial profiling after confronting a Black business owner who . Video @sherlavars pic.twitter.com/WH5S9Sktxu. U.S. California Police Instagram. Grime died in a hospital two days later. A patrol officer saw people in the store at 1 a.m. and questioned why they were there. Police Chief Michael Cronin said the town has engaged the services of an independent attorney to conduct an investigation into the incident. He went through the normal background check, Cronin said. On Aug. 21 at about 1 a.m., police officers confronted the couple, who were inside their shop. Blasi joined the Tiburon Police Department in June 2019. 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. 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. 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. There's video of the interaction and an investigation underway. While the interaction with the first officer at the scene, who has not been identified, was not recorded, Khalif said the officer walked up to the door and immediately demanded to know what they were doing in the store at night. Three former Aurora, Colo., police officers have lost a bid to get their jobs back after being fired in connection to posed photos reenacting a chokehold near the site where . 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. Cause you dont sound like youre very grateful. It sounded like a fist-fight was going to happen, Simpson 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. Khalif started the brand with his wife when they were in college. And he wanted us to prove who we are. 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. 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. Questions on Quora, a question-and-answer website, over the officer if theres a problem of you the! 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