In the post. TIBURON, Calif. (KGO) -- A Black business owner is speaking out after Tiburon police demanded proof he was the store's owner. 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. September 8, 2020 / 7:45 PM The shop owners filed a $2 million claim against the town. 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. There's video of the interaction and an investigation underway. This is around 1AM. A Black. Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. Several months later, the store was named Tiburons Business of the Month. The couple met at Dominican University of California in San Rafael. Still, other locals questioned Khalifs reaction to the police, and said he should have proved ownership when asked. 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. You sound very defensive.. 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. This isn't regular business hours, there's no customers in there. I can no longer sit idle and watch the (Tiburon Police Department) inhumanely treat the citizens and business owners of our town. It looked like they were harassing him and I thought, This has gone on for several minutes, Simpson said. 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. At the 10-minute mark, Madfes chimes in again: Prove to us you have keys or , There you go, thats the perfect thing, Blasi says as Khalif removes something from his pocket. Ive not been feeling the reality of it. 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. Ste. In a later interview, Simpson said he was concerned by the way the three officers were surrounding Khalif. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. 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. Tiburon police officers are trained and held to the highest standards of conduct. I sat in on these interviews, but did not participate, Chanis said. She said that included conversations about how police officers can re-examine their implicit biases and eliminate their own fear on the job. At least three large posters of Khalif and Awash modeling their clothes are visible on the rear wall throughout the footage. 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. 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 . He opened the store this past February and says it's not unusual for them to work late into the night. Michael Blasi was the supervising officer on Aug. 21 during the incident at Yema, a clothing store on Main Street. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 | 415-435-2652 | Privacy Policy| Designed by Kevin Hessel. Monaghan accepted a conditional offer in February, Chanis said. Cronin's announcement comes one week after Sgt. The store was well-lighted, and police reports show no alarm had sounded and no one had otherwise reported suspicious activity. 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. "My pictures are plastered all over the store, huge pictures," says Khalif. Khalif said he was wearing the same outfit as the mannequin he was standing next to while talking to police from the doorway. Again, Khalif says hell speak to the supervisor, but Madfes insists Khalif is required to give me a lawful reason why youre here.. First published on September 8, 2020 / 7:45 PM. Several months later, the store was named Tiburons Business of the Month. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? The Police Department and Emergency Operations Center are also responsible for developing and maintaining the Emergency Operations Plan for the entire Tiburon Peninsula. Its nice to see how the community has come together, and that they are saying what they want to see going forward, Khalif said. It first operated from 80 Main Street before moving in the late 70's into surplus military housing near its present site. I had to prove my house, street and number, and I had to prove that I lived in Tiburon, Khalif said. I have a problem with you guys being here so late and you not telling me why, Madfes says. Do you want us to look out for the community or do you want us to let anybody walk in here at 2 oclock in the morning and steal all your stuff? Blasi is heard saying on the video. Cronin quickly apologized, saying he stood in support of peaceful protests in Marin City and condemned racism, social injustice and police brutality. Cronin denies his departure is linked to the incident. 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. The town has been conducting background and medical checks since then. Chanis said neither Cronin nor Blasi are able to comment due to the pending investigation. The next day when I woke up, I was like, Holy s, what just happened?. 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. However, he believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon.. In an Aug. 24 interview, Khalif said he had no doubt the officers confronted him because of his race and said he was still traumatized., I could have been another statistic, I could have been another George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, but I did not take the bait, he said. Footage of the incident on August 21st can be seen on YEMAs Instagram (@Yemacalif). Is it your store that's all we want to know? The town announced Blasis resignation on Tuesday. The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. The supervising officer, Tiburon Sgt. Khalif, a resident for nearly 10 years, says hes been stopped while walking home and had to prove that he lives in Tiburon. Our store alarm did not go off, no one called the police, everything was peaceful. 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 . Grime, 47, was placed in a hobbling device, binding his handcuffs to ankle restraints behind his back. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. The police denied a racial motive and said they were doing their jobs. 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?. This isn't regular business hours, there's no customers in there. Monaghan has taught administration of justice at the San Mateo Community College District. Blasi joined the Tiburon Police Department in June 2019. 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. The department is open to the public. It is clear that did not occur in this instance.. In the video, Khalif is at the door of his own store talking with a Tiburon police supervisor. 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. Khalif and Awash said Cronin had not reached out to them directly in the aftermath of the incident. 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. Police Chief Michael Cronin declined to directly comment on the Aug. 21 incident until the investigation has concluded, but he confirmed Blasi and the other officers involved would continue coming to work through the investigation. Ryan Monaghan, who has worked at the San. 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. 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 . Tiburon officials say an independent investigation is now underway, which is the reason why officers were not at Thursday's meeting. We do not need to prove to police that we deserve to be at our clothing store way past business hours.. Chanis has denied that Cronin's retirement is connected to the incident involving the business owners, according to the Marin IJ. 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.. 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. 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. If I tell you its my store, then what? Khalif asks in the video. 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. 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. 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. After another shop owner yelled at police, telling them the couple did own the store, the officers left. The Tiburon Police Department has 12 sworn officers and four other employees, plus volunteer and reserve officers. Theyre the ones with the guns, theyre the ones with the badge, theyre the ones with the authority, she said. Madfes, however, again asks Khalif to put the key in the door, but this time Khalif declines: Thats your supervisor, he say you walk away, walk away.. Emergency Operations Center I want to know what you're doing in the store at 1 o'clock in the morning," says the supervisor. 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. Khalif refused. When we hire police, the police chief makes a recommendation, but the town manager approves every hire.. said Yema Khalif in a video his friend took. Khalif, who designs most of the companys clothing, grew up in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Grime died in a hospital two days later. 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.. 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. "We are extraordinarily sad to report the loss. Really? It was unclear why late Aug. 26 Tiburon released the extended video, in which the previously unidentified Tiburon patrol officer, Isaac Madfes, speaks his first name aloud. Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. This isnt regular business hours, theres no customers in here. The Tiburon and Belvedere council held a joint meeting on Thursday to give the polarized community a chance to weigh in. Blasi was hired last year by the department after more than 15 years at the Marin County Sheriffs Office as a SWAT team leader, investigator and gang task-force officer. Khalif says he wasnt angry, just putting his foot down. "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. 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. The department also updated its use-of-force policy to align with calls to de-escalate police encounters with the public. The couple met at Dominican University. @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. Yesterday was one of those days. Both Khalif and Awash said they noticed a Tiburon police car driving slowly by their storefront while they were working inside with their friend about 1 a.m. Aug. 21. 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. And he wanted us to prove who we are. 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. 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