Its unfortunate but I think good will come of this, Awash said. The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. "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 said when it became clear the officer wasnt understanding him, he asked the officer to call his supervisor. I do not have to show you nothing! replied Khalif. The county settled a lawsuit by Grimes family for nearly $1 million. Reach her at 415-944-4627. Store proprietor Yema Khalif, his wife and. Henry Ty McGowan. The Tiburon Police Department was established in 1972 following the town's incorporation by eight years. 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. The Tiburon Police Department has 12 sworn officers and four other employees, plus volunteer and reserve officers. What is it that theyre fearing?. Matthew Tom has been working as a homepage editor at SFGATE since 2006. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A sixth Memphis officer was fired . At one point, 465 members of the public were virtually attending the forum and, in addition to the speakers, we received 79 items of written correspondence.. Marin resident Chelsea Ialeggio, who was raised in Tiburon, said she is disgusted by the incident. Blasi has responded to numerous law enforcement-related questions on Quora, a question-and-answer website, over the last few years. Tiburon chief Cronin also resigned effective September 13, in response to the alleged racial profiling incident at YEMA. 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. According to Khalif, the officer sat in his parked vehicle for about 20 minutes before approaching Khalif, asking him to identify himself, explain why they were inside the store, and informing them that backup was on the way. 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. As Madfes approaches the store, Khalif, Awash and the friend can be seen inside at the checkout counter, apparently talking with each other. Madfes says there isnt, but that hes never seen anyone in the store so late. We do not need to prove to police that we deserve to be at our clothing store way past business hours.. This isn't regular business hours, there's no customers in there. Khalif said he wasnt particularly impressed with that statement. Chanis said neither Cronin nor Blasi are able to comment due to the pending investigation. Khalif and Awash said Cronin had not reached out to them directly in the aftermath of the incident. Video shows the interaction between the store owner and the police supervisor, who demanded, "I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1'oclock in the morning.". She stressed the importance to use the incident as a learning step.. Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. 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.. Khalif, a resident for nearly 10 years, says hes been stopped while walking home and had to prove that he lives in Tiburon. Is it your store that's all we want to know? A Black man can not say that, but a white man can.. A Tiburon police spokesperson tells ABC7 News the town has hired an outside, independent attorney to conduct an investigation. 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. I cannot lie and say Im OK. Im traumatized and my wife is traumatized.. 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. "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. Laurie Nilsen is the Emergency Services Coordinator for both towns. There's video of the interaction and an investigation underway. Then show me its your store, Blasi responds. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 |. As Madfes walks away and catches up to Blasi, Blasi can be heard saying, He says its his store, thats good enough for me. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? 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. Sgt. Khalif recalled saying, you came here because you saw three Black people in the store.. The confrontation led to a rally in Tiburon on Aug. 29 against racial profiling. The town has been conducting background and medical checks since then. 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. Cronin said he wasnt aware of Blasis involvement in the Grime case when the department hired him last year. During hours when the department is closed, visitors can be directly connected to our dispatch center via a phone outside our front entrance. I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1 o'clock in the morning.". Blasi made $10,122 a month. 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. It first operated from 80 Main Street before moving in the late 70's into surplus military housing near its present site. FYI, we didnt realize that when he was circling the block he was calling for back up. OK, thats fine. Blasi begins asking the same questions as the first officer, including what the three were doing there late at night. The neighbor, Ken Simpson, lives in his Main Street apartment part-time and said hes also accustomed to hearing noise from patrons and employees of downtown restaurants late at night, but the yelling that woke him up about 1:15 a.m. Aug. 21 sounded like it was escalating quickly. That seemed to satisfy the officers, and they promptly left without the proof they had demanded for roughly 10 minutes. I expressed to him that there was no crime going on and we were going about our business. "Since becoming Police Chief in 2007, the impact of Mikes leadership has been significant for Tiburon," Chanis said. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Sept. 10, 2020 1:17 AM PT. 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. 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 . Tiburon police sergeant shoots self in police station Amy Larson 12/14/2022 TIBURON, Calif. (KRON) A Tiburon Police Department sergeant fatally shot himself inside the police. Police Chief Michael Cronin said the town has engaged the services of an independent attorney to conduct an investigation into the incident. After the video of the incident was posted on Yemas Instagram and went viral, discussion caught like wildfire across social media platforms. "We are extraordinarily sad to report the loss. We are focused on how to prevent this from happening again, she said. The supervising officer, Tiburon Sgt. Tiburon, CA - A Tiburon police sergeant fatally shot himself inside the police department headquarters while on duty on Monday, according to authorities. He doesn't believe that would have happened if he was white. The newly-released bodycam video can be seen here. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Another protest is planned at the Tiburon Police Department on Saturday. 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. "We're trying to build a brand with a big heart," said Khalif. We are not interested in blanket apologies that have no honesty and truth and actionable things that will prevent a situation like this from happening to the next Black man, he said. Persons seeking assistance need only lift the phone to be connected with a dispatcher. It was saddening to see that there wasnt any recognition from the police involved that this was a situation where they made a mistake.. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Where people know me? 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. At least three large posters of Khalif and Awash modeling their clothes are visible on the rear wall throughout the footage. In the footage, Madfes is seen walking through Fountain Plaza toward the store and can be heard reporting one BMA, one BFA one Black male adult and one Black female adult which he corrects to three people, two Black males, as he gets closer. It looked like they were harassing him and I thought, This has gone on for several minutes, Simpson said. How safe is your neighborhood? The Tiburon and Belvedere council held a joint meeting on Thursday to give the polarized community a chance to weigh in. Ive not been feeling the reality of it. 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. Lewis Powell, Sgt. Then we see Tiburon police car patrolling. Reporter Hannah Weikel and Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. After the panel interviews, I met with each finalist for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, and then each finalist had the opportunity to tour the police station.. Im not going to answer your question. Matthew Tom is a Homepage Editor at SFGATE. Based on this belief, Sgt. Noah Griffin, a member of the towns Diversity Inclusion Task Force, said he was one of two African American members of the community panel that interviewed the finalists. 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. 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. I stood my ground that day, but this did not hit me until next day, he said. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. 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. We are inside the store minding our business, All store lights are on and you can see us from outside because we have high windows all around the store. Khalif said he was wearing the same outfit as the mannequin he was standing next to while talking to police from the doorway. The police denied a racial motive and said they were doing their jobs. 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. Blasi offered, and the town has accepted, his voluntary resignation., On the night of the alleged racial profiling incident, Khalif, his wife. 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.. However, he believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon.. He went through the normal background check, Cronin said. 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