01/04/2022 03:36 PM EST. TIBURON -- Authorities in the North Bay are investigating the death of a Tiburon police sergeant at the town police headquarters Monday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot, according to. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. In our 50th year serving Tiburon, Belvedere & Strawberry. Despite Belvederes apparent refusal to address the unfortunate confrontation and the lingering trauma it has caused the couple, Khalif and Awash say they will keep moving forward with their positive messages. Its been nearly two years since Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash were restocking their Tiburon clothing boutique when they received an unsolicited late-night visit from Tiburon and Belvedere police officers who wanted Khalif to provide ID and proof he owned the store. Beginning in late 2020, the department began tracking race and other demographic data of those stopped or detained by police, with the information published in real time on a stop-data dashboard on the towns website. The police chief and an officer resigned as a result. The Black owners of a Tiburon clothing shop who were questioned by white police officers while working late one night at their own store have filed a $2 million lawsuit for emotional distress. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Messages left with Belvedere's city manager and its Police Department weren't returned. Khalif argued with the police over whether the people inside the store needed to prove their right to be there. Tiburon has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a claim filed by residents Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash over an incident of alleged racial profiling by police at the couple's Main Street clothing store in August 2020. Black Men XCEL Khalif and Awash filed a $2 million suit for alleged emotional distress and potential loss of revenue, as well as punitive damages. The police left after a white man across the street yelled out his window that Khalif owned the store. Khalif and Awash havent reached a settlement with the neighboring city of Belvedere, which also had an officer at the store that night. Khalif said in an interview Tuesday that he and his wife took up the civil rights effort in the name of humanity. The incident, which occurred just months after the murder of George Floyd, sparked protests and demands for reform in Tiburon. A Tiburon police sergeant has resigned following a confrontation with a Black merchant that critics say stemmed from racial profiling. As Khalif began to comply, a neighbor interjected. Court of Appeal Decision On appeal, the Appellants argued that the Stipulated Judgments impermissibly compromised the County's exercise of its duties under CEQA, resulting in a truncated environmental review with a preordained outcome. Chanis said the new chief, Ryan Monaghan, felt strongly that the site report the claim was unfounded; other complaints use language such as not sustained or exonerated.. Its about every single Black and Brown person that comes into the Tiburon community, that comes into the Belvedere community.. Tiburon police officers also will be required to hand out business cards with identification information following most interactions.. It is their hope that the settlement agreement with Tiburon can serve as a model for other communities. Khalif and Awash have already secured spots on the board. The incident lead to a Tiburon Police sergeant stepping down. Michael Blasi was the supervising officer on Aug. 21. But after initially threatening a $2 million lawsuit in federal court, the couple say they were able to achieve meaningful reforms by staying out of the courtroom and directly engaging with town. Yema Khalif (left) speaks with Valerie Engler, president of Grapevyne, as Khalifs wife and business partner, Hawi Awash, helps a customer at their clothing boutique in Tiburon. We are demanding, Khalif said. Awash and Khalif, two immigrants from Ethiopia and Kenya, received support from the community after their encounter with police. TAKE ACTION: Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues. I dont want to argue, the officer said. Not everybody has that kind of access, she said. They also donate 20% of Yemas sales to the cause. The Marin County . We have a platform. 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. ADVERTISING Advertise Legal Notices Obituaries Writing An Obituary Submit an Obituary, COMPANY INFO Job Opportunities Privacy PolicyTerms of Service, What to Include in Your Marin County Obituary, Nikki Silverstein is an award-winning journalist who has written for the Pacific Sun since 2005. SistersInc. Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash, owners of the Yema clothing shop. One of the owners refused, saying he did not have to prove he had the right to be in his own store. TIBURON, Calif. - The town of Tiburon agreed to pay $150,000 a Black couple to settle their racial profiling lawsuit. The settlement, announced April 18 after being unanimously approved by the Town Council in a closed-session April 13 meeting, is for significantly less than the $2 million sought by . Weve gotten support and love and people speaking up to say this is not right, this is wrong, Awash said. However, Town Manager Greg Chanis confirmed a racial-bias complaint listed on the towns police-transparency website was related to the incident. Khalif and Awash have also received hate mail and disturbing phone calls. Khalif and his attorneys made multiple references to seeking similar reforms in Belvedere. But after initially threatening a $2 million lawsuit in federal court, the couple say they were able to achieve meaningful reforms by staying out of the courtroom and directly engaging with town officials. People have told the couple to leave Tiburon. The incident ended when a neighboring resident shouted out that Khalif was indeed the storeowner, and the officers promptly left without the proof of his identity or store ownership they'd asserted was required. In addition to. If Tiburon is doing it, so can they, Khalif said. Thanks for Not Procreating: Making Census of the Moment. The Tiburon Town Council has rejected a $2 million payout sought by the owners of downtown clothing boutique Yema in the wake of a high-profile racially charged police confrontation at the store, and the couple is now considering filing a lawsuit against the town. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Burglars dont go into a store and turn all the lights on. The pair had been working late at the store when a Tiburon police officer entered and asked them to identify themselves. Police only backed down after a white neighbor shouted out confirming the couple owned the store. Updated: Dec 14, 2022 / 07:59 PM PST. And prove yourself.'". I contracted with Amir a special rate for a minimum 6 month rental period. A police sergeant resigned amid the backlash. Joshua Sharpe joined The San Francisco Chronicle in February 2022. Madfes remains an officer in Tiburon, said Town Manager Greg Chanis. As part of the reforms announced Tuesday, officers are expected to begin carrying business cards with information about how to raise concerns over interactions. His goal is for people to feel they were treated in a fair, equitable and professional manner during interactions with police. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Yema Khalif (l to r) and Hawi Awash, Yema co-founders, stand for a portrait for a promotional video for A&C Ventures and Tiburon Chamber of Commerce at Yema on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 in Tiburon, Calif. Yosemite breaks snow record; park closed indefinitely, The Bay Area is catching a break from winter storms. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. 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, 'Show me that it's your store': Tiburon police demand Black business owner prove who he is, Find resources to help with equality, justice and race issues, the Marin City activist who alleges he and his wife were lowballed. Officers from the Tiburon Police Department went to the singer's Marin County home after receiving a call at 3:30 a.m. Saturday from an apparently intoxicated man who said a drunken woman was . A message left with the city manager wasnt immediately returned Tuesday. This is important to the citizenry in policy matters, and my hope is since the committee will be independent, it will truly represent the people. The reforms include establishing a Citizens Advisory Panel, increasing bias training for officers and requiring officers hand out business cards after an interaction with a member of the public. Early last year, the couple filed a claim for $2 million directly with Tiburon and Belvedere but ultimately chose to forego filing a lawsuit in federal court, instead opting to focus on effecting change in policing practices. The settlement also calls for reforms, including a new citizen's police advisory panel. Still, they are happy with the outcome of their settlement and hopeful it will lead to real change. The changes dont end there Tiburons police department has also agreed to better serve the community by increasing the frequency of racial bias training. Blasi offered, and the town has accepted, his voluntary resignation." I just want you to tell me why youre here.. Khalif responds, It does not fucking matter where Im at before.. The settlement was announced. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "Marin County, there's so much more work we can do in order to make this place a true melting pot," Austin said. The Police Department has started a pilot program where community liaisons help residents with any police concerns or needs. Charles Bonner, another of the couples attorneys, said the agreement shows that such cases can be resolved at the peace table without going to war.. "We are not begging, we are demanding to be treated with love, with dignity and with respect," Khalif said on Tuesday at a press conference in Tiburon. Attorney David C. Anderson pumps his fist beside client Yema Khalif during a news conference to announce policing reforms stemming from an August 2020 incident at Khalifs Tiburon store. A residential burglary was reported to the Tiburon Police Department today at 10:30 am by gardeners at a residence on Paseo Mirasol. D, Tiburon, CA 94920 |. Khalif and Awash will be part of that board. He said incidents like what happened to him and to Khalif and Awash happen more often than people realize. 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