Breaking news … City manager fired with police chief and police officer to follow

City Manager Max Garbarino

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck’s city council agreed to fire City Manger Max Garbarino at tonight’s council meeting.
Garbarino has been on paid administrative leave for about a month along with Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri and police department investigator Dave Adamczyk.
All were under an internal investigation by a legal firm hired by the city council after allegations of wrongdoing. The results of the investigation, which cost the city over $300,000, found serious issues of wrongdoing with the police chief and police investigator Adamczyk.
As for Garbarino, he was criticized for recommending the chief to hire investigator Adamczyk, and for not acting soon enough to take disciplinary action against Chief Altaheri.
The internal report on Altaheri included instances of alleged drunk driving and being involved in transporting a stolen vehicle, among other alleged offenses.
Altaheri has denied the accusations.
Adamczyk initiated an investigation into Altaheri including secretly tape recording him and violating various department policies.
The council is also recommending that the city’s acting city manager to fire Chief Altaheri and Adamczyk.
That decision was reached after the mayor and council met in a closed session for over an hour.
City Attorney Odey Meroueh said the decision is based on a discussion with the city’s insurance attorney and the legal firm Miller Johnson, which conducted the internal investigation.
“We came to the undeniable conclusion, unfortunately, based on evidence presented, we have to terminate Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri,” Meroueh said.
Mayor Amer Ghalib said the decision to fire all three “seemed like the only solution at this time – or the safest one.”
The Review will have more on this matter.
Posted Aug. 26, 2025