(CNN) The city of Boulder, Colorado has reached a settlement with one of its police officers over racial profiling accusations.

The incident began on March 1 when Boulder Police officer John Smyly approached Zayd Atkinson as he cleaned up trash outside his townhouse complex.

Atkinson was sitting in a partially enclosed patio that had a private property sign in front of it, at the complex where he lived. Smyly claimed he was trying to determine if he had the right to be there.

According to the city , Atkinson told him he worked and lived in the building — and gave him his student ID -- but Smyly detained him for further investigation.

"He's picking up trash," a person who filmed the incident repeatedly said as the two exchanged words.

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