Yemeni immigrant complains of police treatment in traffic stop
Nasser Almasmari (left) speaks through an interpreter about his experience with a Hamtramck police officer during a traffic stop. He was being interviewed by a reporter for WXYZ-TV Channel 7.
By Charles Sercombe
A police complaint brought to light by Councilmember Saad Almasmari raised a number of concerns this week.
Almasmari relayed a message from Nasser Almasmari (it was unknown at press time if he is related to Saad) who claimed a Hamtramck officer pulled him over for an expired license plate and impounded his car.
The alleged incident happened while his family, which includes his two sons, ages 10 and 2, and two daughters, ages 2 and eight months, and his 8-month pregnant wife, were in the car. The man claimed they were forced to walk home on Jan. 3 while the temperature was below zero.
He said he asked the officer for a ride home, but the officer refused, even though it was dangerously cold out.
Almasmari concluded, saying: “When we got home all of us got sick because of the weather. I’m asking you as voter, are we really being treated as human or animals in this city? As many people I know we feel like we are not welcome to live in Hamtramck. What happened to us will never be forgotten by my family. Do we need to protest against the police officers who are worrying only about their paychecks?”
The alleged incident prompted over a dozen responses, mostly from Bengali-Americans and Yemeni-Americans who accused Hamtramck officers of being prejudiced.
The incident also was reported on by a TV reporter for WXYZ-Channel 7.
One respondent on Saad Almasmari’s Facebook page, Tarek Baydoun, who says he is an attorney, also accused Mayor Karen Majewski of being a racist, to which she replied: “That’s bullsh**.”
Acting City Manager Kathy Angerer weighed in, asking Councilmember Almasmari to have the family contact her so she could set up a meeting with Police Chief Anne Moise.
Councilmember Almasmari, who is running for state representative in the district that includes Hamtramck, declined the offer, saying: “An issue like this doesn’t get solved with a meeting with police chief. We have been telling you many stories like this and the police promised us to do something and done nothing. The guy has an attorney you can talk to. I posted this story because I know nothing will happen if we talk to the city.”
That prompted Mayor Majewski to question Almasmari what his “solution” was if he didn’t want to arrange a meeting.
Almasmari did not reply.
The Review reached out to Chief Moise who said:
“There are aspects of this case that were not shared on social media. In the meantime, I am looking into the matter and gathering facts of the incident,” Moise said. “However, at this time, I have not heard back from the family involved.”
A police source who is familiar with police procedures, said the officer should have driven the family home or at the very least to the police station.
Nasser Almasmari, a Yemeni immigrant who does not speak English fluently, went to Tuesday’s City Council meeting and spoke through an interpreter to tell his story.
The council asked for the police chief to look into the matter.
11 Responses to Yemeni immigrant complains of police treatment in traffic stop
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Roadman
January 26, 2018 at 7:08 pm
Quick questions:
(A)Which towing contractor was called to remove the Mr. Almasmari’s vehicle?
(B)Who owned that towing contracting firm?
(C)Did that towing contractor have authorization by City Council under the Purchasing Ordinance to act as the city’s contractor?
(D)What storage lot received the vehicle of Mr. Almasmari after it was towed and who owned the lot?
(E)Was that storage lot authorized by City Council to store autos seized by the City of Hamtramck?
(F)How much was Mr. Almasmari charged for the towing of his vehicle?
(G)How long did the storage lot hold Mr. Almasmari’s vehicle – and how much was he charged for that storage?
(H)Why did police find it necessary to seize the vehicle of Mr. Almasmari when they could of just as easily served an appearance ticket for having an expired plate and sent him on his way – as is done with over 99% of drivers who are stopped for an expired plate by police in this state?
(I)Who are the City of Hamtramck P.D. officers involved in this incident?
City Council candidate Nayeem Choudhury’s campaign manager had appeared before City Council several months ago claiming that Hamtramck Police Dept. officers were improperly causing the towing away of cars that were merely involved in minor accidents – and that no law authorized such towing at the behest of police.
John Dory
January 27, 2018 at 6:54 pm
The article incorrectly identifies Councilperson Saad Almasmari as a state senate candidate.
He is actually running for the Michigan State Representative seat currently held by Rose Robinson.
Abraham Aiyash, another Hamtramck resident, has declared his candidacy for the Michigan State Senate:
http://www.voteabraham.com
csercombe
January 28, 2018 at 12:21 pm
thanks
Susan Dunn
January 28, 2018 at 6:51 pm
According to the article there was twin 2 yr olds & an 8 month old baby in the car. Was there 3 car seats? I was curious because if this man disregarded other laws was this life saving law also ignored? Also, did this man have a cell phone he could’ve used to call a cab or someone to pick them up?
People need to stop being so quick to think out police department are targeting people. In fact they’re doing their job.
Neighbor
January 29, 2018 at 4:31 pm
Forcing any family with a 2 yrs old and 8 months old baby to walk home in that brutal weather is criminal and whoever forced them to do so should be charged with child abuse.
Common sense would have been to hand them the violations and see them in court.
@Susan Dunn: Whatever wrong thing this driver did, that does not mean it’s a fair game to harm his children.
Beverly
January 29, 2018 at 8:40 pm
@SusanDunn:
Susan, thank you for important contributions – as always.
This was good police work by Hamtramck’s finest.
The ticketing Hamtramck officer actually did the driver a favor by not arresting him for failure to have valid insurance on a vehicle.
The fact he impounded this man’s vehicle ensured that the car would not get into an accident and leave an injured party – such as potentially a pedestrian or the driver’s own family members – with no coverage.
I wish Police Chief Anne Moise would make a public statement to defend her department’s handling of the incident. The public needs to appear at City Council meetings to stick up for our police officers.
What I find particularly galling is the attack upon Mayor Karen Majewski as a “racist”. There is no evidence she was ever even involved in this incident in any way. Local civic activists will try to exploit this situation in any way to further their political objectives.
guest
January 30, 2018 at 12:10 pm
Under Michigan law, a person who does not present proof of insurance when pulled over may have to pay a civil infraction or fine. At the time of the violation, the person will be given a citation by a police officer.
Beverly
February 2, 2018 at 7:42 pm
@Neighbor:
Now it appears that the adults in the Almasmari family chose to walk eight houses rather than have to wait for someone running late to pick them up.
@guest
Now the story is coming out that is was not merely an expired plate or insurance incident – the incident report accuses the driver of having a fraudulent license plate tab on the car.
An improper plate with a fraudulent tab is a misdemeanor.
It looks that Hamtramck’s finest were just doing their job and critics of our force have been silenced.
Case closed.
John Dory
February 3, 2018 at 12:41 pm
@guest and Beverly:
I believe the real issue is WHY the Almasmari car was towed.
Was it legal to seize and impound his vehicle in these set of facts?
If we remove the car seizure from the equation then this entire incident would NOT have made news.
Fatema Hossain
February 4, 2018 at 12:50 pm
This type of towing practice has been occurring for awhile – City Council needs to address this.
Uncle Cooter
February 4, 2018 at 3:08 pm
In the case of Sarmad Habib vs City of Hamtramck et al, which is pending in federal court, there is an allegation that 63 vehicles were towed from a used car lot in Detroit by the COBRA auto insurance fraud unit of which a Hamtramck police sergeant was a member. Anne Moise is being named as a defendant in that suit which alleges various types of civil rights violation allegations and also includes the City of Highland Park and a Detective McMahon as co-defendants. That unit has since been disbanded.
Many of the recent civil rights cases involve allegations related to vehicle towing operations.
The City of Hamtramck’s longtime towing contractor, Boulevard & Trumbull, is currently facing legal scrutiny in other unrelated cases.