The Tiburon Police Department was established in 1972 following the town's incorporation by eight years. "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. 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. It looked like they were harassing him and I thought, This has gone on for several minutes, Simpson said. VIDEO: Man fired after blocking Latino man from entering his own apartment building in SF. Marin resident Chelsea Ialeggio, who was raised in Tiburon, said she is disgusted by the incident. 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. "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. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Yema Khalif, the only Black store owner in Tiburon, speaks out in front of the police dept. Really? A video depicting Tiburon police officers in heated exchange with the owner of the towns only Black-owned business while working late in his downtown shop has sparked outrage in the community. We received new inventory during the day so we went back to our store, on Main street Tiburon California, to work late. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Khalif, who has lived in Tiburon for nearly 10 years, and Awash are well-known in the Tiburon business community. 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. I look forward to meeting and working with the engaged community members, our town leaders, allied agencies and especially all our town employees who are committed to providing the highest levels of service to everyone who lives, works and visits the town of Tiburon, Monaghan said. Khalif acknowledged several times that I want you to look out for my store and I want you to look out for my community, but he repeatedly asked the officers what activity, beyond his presence alone, was suspicious and required explanation. 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.. Another said, "I am incensed! Some days we have to work late. 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. This street closes at 9 oclock at night, and theres never anybody in here. At least three large posters of Khalif and Awash modeling their clothes are visible on the rear wall throughout the footage. I do not have any intention of removing them at this time, Cronin said. 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. 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. However, he believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon.. In a later interview, Awash pointed out that there are large posters on the stores walls of both she and Khalif modeling their clothing. At the conclusion of the investigation, the findings will be presented to her and the rest of the Tiburon Town Council. This isn't regular business hours, there's no customers in there. Is it your store? If this is your store, put the key in the door, Blasi can be heard saying. That seemed to satisfy the officers, and they promptly left without the proof they had demanded for roughly 10 minutes. Blasi] believes it would be difficult to continue being effective as a police officer in Tiburon. Ste. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 |. 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. 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. Khalif becomes increasingly frustrated as Blasis requirement shifts: Did you identify yourself? Whatever the intention of the responding offices, the interchange inappropriately deteriorated from helpful to confrontational, Fredericks wrote in an email sent to the community. On Aug. 21 at about 1 a.m., police officers confronted the couple, who were inside their shop. The video, which has amassed nearly 64,000 views on YEMAs Instagram page, sparked public outrage prompting a protest in Tiburon attended by over 200 people in support of Khalif and the Black Lives Matter movement. Mayor Alice Fredericks on Aug. 22 sent out an email to the community apologizing to Khalif and Awash. I do not have any intention of removing them at this time, Cronin said. Awash said other business owners work late at night and pointed to portraits of the couple that are clearly visible through the storefront window. Cronin will step down on Sept. 13 after serving 12 years as the chief of police, according to a statement released by Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis. We do not need to prove why we need to exist, Khalif said. Tiburon Town Manager Greg Chanis announced the resignation in a newsletter saying [Sgt. Thank you, see ya, Blasi says as he turns and walks away toward Fountain Plaza. 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. She said that included conversations about how police officers can re-examine their implicit biases and eliminate their own fear on the job. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? 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.. 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 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. I confirmed that I am the business owner, but they wanted me to prove it. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? 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?. He also holds a masters degree in security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. Then we see Tiburon police car patrolling. Everything I was saying fell on deaf ears.. The couple met at Dominican University. In response to public outcry, Blasi offered his resignation from the Tiburon Police department, which went into effect September 1. TIBURON, Calif. - A Tiburon couple who own a clothing store is accusing police of racially profiling them. They opened the athletic apparel boutique in February. 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. Protesters march Saturday, Jan. 28, in Memphis, Tenn., over the death of Tyre Nichols, who died after being beaten by Memphis police. The supervisor came charged and did not come to deescalate anything. Were here because we love Tiburon, and we know that Tiburon loves us back, Awash said. TAKE ACTION: Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues. He did not comment on whether officers will face disciplinary actions pending the outcome of the investigation. Cronin's departure comes on the heels of Sgt. There's video of the interaction and an investigation underway. Chanis said neither Cronin nor Blasi are able to comment due to the pending investigation. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Theyre the ones with the guns, theyre the ones with the badge, theyre the ones with the authority, she said. Tiburons Hank Easom was locally renowned sailor, After earthquakes, Tiburon resident seeks aid for native Turkey, Six vying for interim seat on Tiburon Town Council, Former mayor and longtime volunteer named Belvedere Citizen of the Year, Study details threat of water from below in combatting sea rise, Residents sound off, urge action at Belvedere coyote forum, Angel Island ferry to be states first all-electric short-run ferry, Angel Island honored for effort to turn historic hospital into museum, 2022 The Ark, AMMI Publishing Co. Inc. | 1550 Tiburon Blvd. If I tell you its my store, then what? Khalif responded. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Awash characterized the conversation as positive. The officers repeatedly asserted, however, that Khalif was required to show identification, but California does not have a stop-and-identify statue. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. About 6 minutes of cellphone footage of the encounter with the supervisor, Tiburon police Sgt. 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. today at a #BlackLivesMatter rally in response to a standoff in which Sgt. An officers observations of perceived race, sex and age are standard when reporting in to dispatchers, as well as in logs and police reports. I cannot fathom how that could happen. 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. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. 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. TIBURON (KPIX/CBS SF) -- The police chief of the City of Tiburon is stepping down , according to a report in the Marin Independent Journa l. Chief Michael Cronin is resigning after 12 years. 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. How can policing be done with empathy," said Khalif. I had to prove my house, street and number, and I had to prove that I lived in Tiburon, Khalif said. 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. 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. It first operated from 80 Main Street before moving in the late 70's into surplus military housing near its present site. Sgt. 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 was also a speaker at the 2018 Belvedere-Tiburon Librarys Pop-Up 94920 series. The encounter escalated when the supervising sergeant arrived on scene. 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