Assistant Editor Emily Lavin contributed to this report. I do not have any intention of removing them at this time, Cronin said. 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. 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. 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. Their pictures are even on the store's walls. This is around 1AM. Everything I was saying fell on deaf ears.. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. Awash, however, said this is not the first negative interaction with Tiburon police; she said shes been stopped more than five times by another officer. 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. 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. Still, other locals questioned Khalifs reaction to the police, and said he should have proved ownership when asked. Tiburon Police Chief Michael J. Cronin announced on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, that he will retire, effective Sept. 13. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Supervisor and another cop - who had his hand on his gun, by the way, showed up almost immediately. The investigation needs to go further than just this incident at Yema, said Adjani, a friend of the store owners. Our store alarm did not go off, no one called the police, everything was peaceful. 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. If they had just proved it was their business then that wouldve been it.. Khalif said he, Awash and a friend were in the store doing inventory when he noticed a police vehicle circling the block. Michael Blasi resigned after the release of police body-cam video showed Blasi and other officers questioning whether Yema Khalif and his wife Hawi Awash had a right to be in their own downtown store after hours. September 8, 2020 / 7:45 PM Khalif continually declines to do so, stating numerous times that he owns the business and asks, Whats the problem? Laurie can be reached at (415)789-2805. In a later interview, Awash pointed out that there are large posters on the stores walls of both she and Khalif modeling their clothing. Michael Blasi, was posted by Khalif to social media later Aug. 21. 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. Persons seeking assistance need only lift the phone to be connected with a dispatcher. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Kevin Hessel is The Arks executive editor. said Yema Khalif in a video his friend took. The lawyer will interview the people involved in the incident starting mid-September. 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. The encounter escalated when the supervising sergeant arrived on scene. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. Tiburon Mayor Alice Fredericks told the Marin IJ she was not surprised by the announcement, but it came "a few weeks earlier than expected. Michael Blasi arrived and an officer asked her husband to take his hands out of his pockets. Monaghan graduated from Union Institute and University in Sacramento with a bachelors degree in criminal justice management. Khalif, who designs most of the companys clothing, grew up in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Ste. 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. Based on this belief, Sgt. The newly-released bodycam video can be seen here. Tiburon police records show that no one called police about suspicious activity at the store, and no alarms had been set off. Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash, owners of the Yema clothing shop. The shop owners filed a $2 million claim against the town. Khalif said he was wearing the same outfit as the mannequin he was standing next to while talking to police from the doorway. It is unclear whether or not the police received a 911 call that prompted their presence at YEMA late that night. Michael Blasi, was, 2022 The Ark, AMMI Publishing Co. Inc. | 1550 Tiburon Blvd. A patrol officer saw people in the store at 1 a.m. and questioned why they were there. Thats when we knew he had already called for back up. "We're trying to build a brand with a big heart," said Khalif. 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. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Next time, just walk and the audio and video cut out. 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. The remaining footage is the body-camera perspective of the exchange previously recorded from inside the store and circulated on social media. Tiburon officials have selected a San Mateo police lieutenant as the town's next police chief, filling a post that had been vacant for six months. They refused to leave until I proved it, Khalif said in the post. Where do you live? Madfes says. Lewis Powell, Sgt. ", 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.". Blasi offered, and the town has accepted, his voluntary resignation., On the night of the alleged racial profiling incident, Khalif, his wife. Ste. Madfes says there isnt, but that hes never seen anyone in the store so late. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. The confrontation also spurred a protest in front of the Tiburon Police Department on Saturday. On Thursday, the city of Tiburon and city of Belvedere held a joint virtual community meeting with all sides reacting to the incident. Despite resigning, Blasi will cooperate with an independent investigation led by a lawyer the town retained, Chanis said. 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. Tiburon Town Hall | 1505 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon, CA 94920 | Phone: 415-435-7373. Laurie Nilsen is the Emergency Services Coordinator for both towns. Cronin declined to declined to identify the other two officers other than to say one works for Tiburon and the other for Belvedere. A Tiburon police sergeant was found dead at the department's headquarters of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, the agency said Tuesday. 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. 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. 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 . 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. Maybe this happened to us because we can bring this out and make sure we have these conversations in our homes and with our families and loved ones and members of community and create something positive thats going to make Tiburon better for all of us, she said. Blasi also receives a monthly pension of $3,224 for his time as a sheriffs deputy, said Jeff Wickham, the county pension board administrator. 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.. Ive not been feeling the reality of it. Khalif, who designs most of the companys clothing, grew up in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. 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. ", The community meeting comes after the city released body cam video showing the back and forth between both sides. The Tiburon and Belvedere council held a joint meeting on Thursday to give the polarized community a chance to weigh in. The argument continued for a few more minutes, with both Blasi and Khalif raising their voices. When we hire police, the police chief makes a recommendation, but the town manager approves every hire.. 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.. ", The business owner tells ABC7 News, "I did feel racially profiled. Offensive text messages exchanged between police officers in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance, California, have hit the news and brought a spotlight on systemic discriminatory practices within the department.. His accomplishment was widely covered in the TV and print media, including in The Ark. Awash said other business owners work late at night and pointed to portraits of the couple that are clearly visible through the storefront window. Yema Protest Speech following the incident at his storefront on August 29th. 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. "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. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Is it your store that's all we want to know? The pension benefit was split because of a divorce. 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. Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, FL Gov. The supervisor demanded Khalif put his key in the door to prove ownership when a neighbor shouted at police identifying him. Critics of the officers handling of the incident note that Blasi did not de-escalate the encounter on his arrival. Matthew Tom has been working as a homepage editor at SFGATE since 2006. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. As Madfes walks away and catches up to Blasi, Blasi can be heard saying, He says its his store, thats good enough for me. Michael Blasi, who resigned not long after he was videotaped confronting a Black business owner who was unloading inventory into his store at one in the morning, last August. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? "How can we do better as a community? He opened the store this past February and says it's not unusual for them to work late into the night. 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?. Put your key in the door and were out of here. However, he believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon.. Blasi offered, and the town has accepted, his voluntary resignation." Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. VIDEO: Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF. The couple met at Dominican University. 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.. Tiburon police sergeant resigns amid racial, 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 sergeant resigns amid racial profiling claims, Letters: Plethora of problems | Creating AL | Provenance of woke | Teen girls | Public bank. In a later interview, Simpson said he was concerned by the way the three officers were surrounding Khalif. At no point during the 11-minute exchange did either Tiburon officer assert any potential criminal or suspicious activity was occurring beyond their mere presence in the building at that hour. Henry Ty McGowan, Detective Seneca Shields and. Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. Marin City Matters member Paul Austin said Blasis resignation is a step in the right direction, but there is more work to be done starting from the top down. The newly released footage begins about 6 minutes before that video begins, when Madfes is already parked on Tiburon Boulevard at Main Street and is getting out of his squad car. Tiburon, CA - A Tiburon police sergeant fatally shot himself inside the police department headquarters while on duty on Monday, according to authorities. What is it that theyre fearing?. This street closes at 9 oclock at night, and theres never anybody in here. What is it that theyre fearing?. The protest, which featured a diverse array of Black speakers in the community, including Marin residents Paul Austin and Amber Allen-Peirson, called for police reformation, community reparations, and institutionalized changes to prevent further racial profiling. She said she used to work for Frank Howard Allen Realtors when it had a storefront office in downtown Tiburon. 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. 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In it, you can hear officers questioning Khalif multiple times: "Do one of you own the store?". The situation started getting out of hand so our friend from DC started recording the exchange (Video below). I cannot lie and say Im OK. Im traumatized and my wife is traumatized.. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. If I tell you its my store, then what? Khalif asks in the video. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Khalif recalled saying, you came here because you saw three Black people in the store.. 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. Store proprietor Yema Khalif, his wife and. 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. Its nice to see how the community has come together, and that they are saying what they want to see going forward, Khalif 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. During hours when the department is closed, visitors can be directly connected to our dispatch center via a phone outside our front entrance. Tiburon officials have selected a San Mateo police lieutenant as the towns next police chief, filling a post that had been vacant for six months. Awash said she was shaking while recording the incident at the store because of the prior negative encounters with Tiburon police. 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