Undercover officers step up littering enforcement in Veterans Park

Undercover police officers will be on the lookout for people who litter in Veterans Park. Those who are caught littering could face paying a $500 fine.

By Alan Madlane
The City of Hamtramck is warning residents that they will be aggressively ticketing anyone seen littering in Veterans Park.
Littering is a civil infraction. Fines can be levied on adults or juveniles and can run as much as $500 by ordinance.
To educate the public, the City of Hamtramck has produced a short video they have posted onto their Facebook page.
In this 90-second video, city employee Omar Thabet begins by noting, “As we all know, littering has been an issue all across our city.
“And now, specifically at our parks, police officers will be going around and ticketing residents… (whether) you’re an adult or a juvenile, with tickets up to $500. So, make sure we keep our city clean.”
This is followed up by a little chat from the deputy police chief Andy Mileski, who adds “Recently, littering has become a major issue in the city of Hamtramck and in the parks.
“Please, do not litter, as you could get up to a $500 dollar ticket.”
Another officer chimes in next with, “This is not just about littering, this is about vandalism.
Thabet continued, saying, “If you vandalize something in our city or our parks, you can be arrested and fined. Police officers… will not even be dressed up in their uniforms; they’ll be in plain clothes.”
Then he concedes, “Residents complain the trash is too full, (that there is) no place to throw away or put away (their) trash. … From now on we will make sure that Priority Waste shows up five days a week to make sure that the trash bins are clean for you.”
Hamtramck was once, as seen on a rather famous homemade sign, humorously called “Rat City,” due to the proliferation of the little fellows here back in the 80s and 90s when loose garbage was piling up in the alleys.
The powers that be don’t want to see a repeat of that issue – especially in a park setting.
“The Hamtramck Police Department does not like ticketing residents for littering,” adds in Deputy Chief Mileski, “but it is vital that we start enforcing the littering laws to keep the park a clean space for everybody.”
Posted Aug. 22, 2025