Police chief says he never got city’s letter firing him

Former Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri

By Charles Sercombe
Former Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri has been insisting that news outlets erroneously reported that he was fired from his job.
In a press release issued by his attorney, Amir Makled, he said “such action was never taken” — despite the city council instructing the then-interim city manager to “terminate” the chief.
Altaheri has made several demands to The Review to remove an online article saying he was “officially fired.”
“I will take the necessary legal action,” Altaheri said at one point. “This is really unprofessional of you.”
But, as it turns out, the city’s interim city manager at the time, Syed Aamir Ahsan, did send Altaheri a certified letter, dated Aug. 28, saying: “Your employment and any employment terminate immediately.”
The Review obtained a copy of the letter through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
The three-page letter listed seven “deficiencies” as the reasons for his firing, saying they “warrant your employment termination for cause.”
Altaheri, who was the city’s first Yemeni-American to be police chief, told The Review that he did not receive that letter, and that “I will assure you that this letter was never written on that date nor was it ever presented to me or my attorney.”
Altaheri had previously retired from the New York City Police Department.
He went on to say that “the problem with the city is that there are too many games and lack of honesty and integrity.”
The former chief says he now wants to “move on and share my side.”
As for the reasons the city listed for his firing, Altaheri said, “I was never able to respond to these claims.” However, he did tell The Review the internal investigation was a “hoax.”
Altaheri’s downfall started when former City Manager Max Garbarino became aware of some accusations of wrongdoing. Garbarino eventually put Altaheri on paid suspension, which led to the mayor and city council stepping in.
The city council decided to place Garbarino on paid leave, and then hired the legal firm Miller Johnson to conduct an independent investigation into Altaheri, as well as into Garbarino and police officer David Adamczyk.
Adamczyk was involved in an investigation into Altaheri, but the Miller Johnson investigation alleged he also committed wrongdoing and violated department policy.
All three were in fact subsequently fired for alleged wrongdoings, based on the findings of the Miller Johnson investigation.
Adamczyk and Garbarino followed up with lawsuits against the city, mayor and city council, and have denied any wrongdoing.
The results of the investigation were released by the city, who accused Altaheri of:
• Driving a city-issued vehicle after consuming alcohol.
• Reducing another officer’s discipline for overtime fraud in exchange for the destruction of evidence of his own alleged reckless driving.
• Handing a loaded gun to a civilian and instructing her to put it to someone’s head.
• Pressuring officers to help in a custody dispute.
• Destroying evidence by having his city-issued phone wiped clean, and obstructing the internal investigation into him.
• Violating policies and procedures regarding stolen property.
• Violating other policies and procedures.
Altaheri, through his attorney Amir Makled, blamed his departure from the city on former City Manager Garbarino.
“This entire matter was a circus created by former Hamtramck City Manager Max Garbarino – who has been fired by Hamtramck City Council — when quiet discussions could have sufficed,” said Makled.
“We all know that workplace disagreements and misperceptions arise from time-to-time, but Mr. Garbarino chose to make this matter a media spectacle,” Makled added.
Garbarino’s attorney, Jonathan Marko, responded to Makled’s comment, and told The Review that, “The claim that Mr. Garbarino ‘created’ this situation is ridiculous. This matter began because of Chief Altaheri’s own serious and disturbing conduct and because Mr. Garbarino was required to report that conduct under the law.
“That is what set this in motion and nothing else. Allowing him (Altaheri) to resign on paper does not change why he was removed from authority.”
Altaheri recently settled his lawsuit with the city so that it now designates his leaving as a “resignation,” and stipulates that he will be paid for five months of work.
Posted Nov. 14, 2025