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. Yesterday was one of those days. You sure? We are focused on how to prevent this from happening again, she said. 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. 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. Khalif said he wasnt particularly impressed with that statement. Despite resigning, Blasi will cooperate with an independent investigation led by a lawyer the town retained, Chanis 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. While K-9 officer Larry Holladay, Patrol Officer Patrick. I cannot fathom how that could happen. 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. One of the. 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. Ste. Yema's wife says the officer had his hand on his gun. Also sacked were Sgt. Then he insisted that he wanted us to prove who we are and to explain what we were doing at the store that late. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Sept. 10, 2020 1:17 AM PT. Khalif said he was racially profiled in February while searching for business license documents in his car in the Town Hall parking lot. 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. 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. Is it your store? In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. Scott Adams faces consequence culture as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Rapid demise of Dilbert no surprise to some who were watching, Elon Musk tweets support for Dilbert creator Scott Adams after racist tirade. Chanis said 60 people provided public comment during the four-hour forum. He did not comment on whether officers will face disciplinary actions pending the outcome of the investigation. 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. A Tiburon police sergeant has resigned following a confrontation with a Black merchant that critics say stemmed from racial profiling. Khalif was also a speaker at the 2018 Belvedere-Tiburon Librarys Pop-Up 94920 series. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. Then finally, the cop decided to come knock on our store door. I dont have to show anything to you, Khalif can be heard saying. The county settled with Grimes family for nearly $1 million. Khalif said he was wearing the same outfit as the mannequin he was standing next to while talking to police from the doorway. Before opening their Tiburon storefront, the couple started selling their clothing online in 2016. A key component of that training is the expectation that our officers will utilize de-escalation techniques in situations like there. 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. The store was well-lighted, and police reports show no alarm had sounded and no one had otherwise reported suspicious activity. In it, you can hear officers questioning Khalif multiple times: "Do one of you own the store?". Tiburon, CA - A Tiburon police sergeant fatally shot himself inside the police department headquarters while on duty on Monday, according to authorities. 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. TIBURON, Calif. (KGO) -- A Black business owner is speaking out after Tiburon police demanded proof he was the store's owner. It sparked widespread outrage within the community and prompted town officials to order an independent investigation into the officers conduct. On Thursday, the city of Tiburon and city of Belvedere held a joint virtual community meeting with all sides reacting to the incident. Email: mtom@sfgate.com. 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. And he wanted us to prove who we are. 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. 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. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. The couple met at Dominican University. He said he was surrounded by officers who told him they were responding to a call about a person touching peoples cars.. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reach him at 415-435-2652, on Twitter at @thearknewspaper and on Facebook at fb.me/thearknewspaper. As Madfes walks away and catches up to Blasi, Blasi can be heard saying, He says its his store, thats good enough for me. 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 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. He opened the store this past February and says it's not unusual for them to work late into the night. The supervisor came charged and did not come to deescalate anything. A Black business owner is speaking out after Tiburon police demanded proof he was the store's owner. Moments later, a neighbor awoken by the yelling can be heard telling police that Khalif was the store owner. We welcome and encourage your thoughts and comments. Monaghans collaborative approach and demonstrated commitment to creating meaningful community engagement really set him apart from other candidates, Chanis said. 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. Awash was born in Ethiopia and lived as a refugee in Kenya before moving with her family to Minnesota. During hours when the department is closed, visitors can be directly connected to our dispatch center via a phone outside our front entrance. They refused to leave until I proved it, Khalif said in the post. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. It was more like, Who are you guys, what are you doing in this store, you must identify yourselves and prove why you are here, she said. Several months later, the store was named Tiburons Business of the Month. How can policing be done with empathy," said Khalif. It came from knowing that in one split second they could end someones life.. A place where Ive lived for nine and a half years? Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Although Ryan Monaghan was not my choice, Im looking forward to working with him to find out what his plans are for community policing, diversity and inclusion, and hiring and promotion within the department, he said. 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. The department is open to the public. Khalif says he wasnt angry, just putting his foot down. The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. Blasi then can be heard asking Khalif why he is bringing race into the conversation. Mayor Alice Fredericks issued an apology on Saturday and went in person to talk to the store owners on Monday. said Yema Khalif in a video his friend took. FYI, we didnt realize that when he was circling the block he was calling for back up. 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. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. One of several discussion threads on Nextdoor.com had racked up 234 comments by the Arks press deadline. Tiburon officials say an independent investigation is now underway, which is the reason why officers were not at Thursday's meeting. 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. 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. 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. 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.. After it was over I was shaking, Awash said. Meanwhile, Awash estimated she has been stopped in her car three to five times over the past year and a half by the same police officer. Michael Blasi arrived and an officer asked her husband to take his hands out of his pockets. A Tiburon police sergeant has resigned following a confrontation with a Black merchant that critics say stemmed from racial profiling. Khalif becomes increasingly frustrated as Blasis requirement shifts: Did you identify yourself? "This particular day we had just received a huge inventory and we just wanted to come out and put the inventory out before Saturday morning," said Khalif. 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. 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. Ste. I do not have to show you nothing! replied Khalif. That report led to 72 Philadelphia officers placed on administrative duty, of whom 13 were fired. While he doesnt initially identify himself, the footage shows Madfes begin by asking, in a seemingly friendly tone, Hey guys, Ive never seen you open this late you just restocking?. After the video of the incident was posted on Yemas Instagram and went viral, discussion caught like wildfire across social media platforms. ", 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.". However, Linda Emberson of Tiburon countered. Khalif said when it became clear the officer wasnt understanding him, he asked the officer to call his supervisor. Where people know me? 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. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. 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. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. 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. "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. At one point he stopped across our store for a good minute. Awash said other business owners work late at night and pointed to portraits of the couple that are clearly visible through the storefront window. ", The community meeting comes after the city released body cam video showing the back and forth between both sides. 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. 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 . 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. Thats all we want to know, Blasi says. Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, FL Gov. David Zalubowski/AP. "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. 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. In addition, Fredericks said the council plans to hold a special meeting within the next week to discuss the incident, though a date and time was not set by The Arks press time. Khalif and Awash said Chanis, the town manager, reached out to them after the incident, and the three met on Aug. 23. This isnt regular business hours, theres no customers in here. I do not have any intention of removing them at this time, Cronin said. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. Nearly all the comments expressed outrage with Tiburon police with calls to hold the officers accountable. "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. A Tiburon police sergeant was found dead at the department's headquarters of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, the agency said Tuesday. Laurie is responsible for disaster preparedness, maintenance of the Emergency Operations Center and coordination of a wide range of related activities. 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.. Required fields are marked *. 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. Chanis said neither Cronin nor Blasi are able to comment due to the pending investigation. I confirmed that I am the business owner, but they wanted me to prove it. Kevin Hessel is The Arks executive editor. 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.. Reach her at 415-944-4627. Thank you sir, thats all I needed to know. An officers observations of perceived race, sex and age are standard when reporting in to dispatchers, as well as in logs and police reports. 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. VIDEO: Berkeley mom films confrontation with white man who ripped down Black Lives Matter signs, Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, FL Gov. 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. 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