Editor's note: An attorney for former Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri told CBS News Detroit in October 2025 that Altaheri had voluntarily resigned, rather than being terminated. Click here to read more.

On Tuesday, the Hamtramck City Council voted to terminate Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri, City Manager Max Garbarino and Special Investigator David Adamczyk after an independent investigation detailed allegations of misconduct.

The vote came during the council's regular meeting, one day after the 59-page report from Miller Johnson Attorneys was released. The law firm was hired by the city to investigate Altaheri, Adamczyk and Garbarino after all three men were placed on leave.

The council requested to meet privately. An hour and a half after their closed meeting, the council voted to terminate all three people.

"What message does this send about our police department when officers did not intervene and allowed their chief to drive intoxicated. Such actions are not only unacceptable but disgraceful," a resident said at the meeting.

Altaheri was not at the meeting, but his attorney, Amir Makled, who was in attendance, said, "I think that this Miller Johnson report is one-sided; it doesn't take into account all the positive things and good service that the chief has done for this community and the citizens of Hamtramck. This is a chief that came from New York City, from big city law enforcement, to come to a small town in the state of Michigan with the hopes of reinvigorating the city, modernizing the department and bringing up morale."

Garbarino was at the meeting but directed questions to his attorney, Reno Arabo, with Marko Law. Arabo said they plan to take legal action against the city council.

"He has dedicated his whole entire life and his career to Hamtramck, and for them to throw his entire career away as if he means nothing, as if he doesn't mean anything to his citizens ... it's shocking and it's clear retaliation, and it's a big mistake and the people of Hamtramck are going to be the ones who are punished for this," Arabo said.

Adamczyk was not at Tuesday's meeting.

In May 2025, Garbarino suspended Altaheri and Adamczyk pending an investigation that Altaheri allegedly abused his power. At the time, Garbarino said he received credible evidence of serious allegations involving city leaders. 

The city council then voted to put Garbarino on leave, which Garbarino claimed was retaliatory.  

Adamczyk and Garbarino filed a lawsuit in June, alleging corruption and retaliation by Altaheri and other city leaders. The lawsuit stated that Altaheri was placed on leave after Adamczyk reported misconduct to Garbarino, and Adamczyk was placed on leave "to protect him from further retaliation from defendants, and to safeguard the integrity of the investigation."

What did the report find?

Miller Johnson's report found that Altaheri asked an evidence technician to wipe his phone shortly after he was suspended, drove a city-issued vehicle while intoxicated, allegedly gave a loaded gun to a civilian and instructed her to point it at someone, and pressured officers to help in a custody dispute. The report could not confirm allegations that Altaheri was involved in a domestic violence incident or asked officers to cover it up.

The report also found that Adamczyk recorded other officers without their knowledge to gain leverage, leaked information about the misconduct allegations against Altaheri in an attempt to get a promotion, and submitted overtime hours that he did not work. The report did not find evidence to support allegations that Adamczyk gained unauthorized access to sensitive information or that he suggested to an officer to commit insurance fraud.

The report found that both Altaheri and Adamczyk were involved in the improper recovery of a Mercedes-Benz that was reported stolen and attempted to transport it to New York to one of Altaheri's friends.

The law firm's investigation "did not substantiate the initial allegations" that Garbarino used police sources for improper use or accessed private records. The report also did not find evidence suggesting that Garbarino's attendance at the June 10 city council meeting after his suspension violated laws and policies. 

The report found that Garbarino had every right to put Altaheri and Adamczyk on leave, but he failed to act quickly in suspending them after learning of their alleged misconduct months before.

The report concluded that Altaheri and Adamczyk engaged in "significant" misconduct warranting termination. It also concluded that Garbarino's inactions warrant a termination, but it "may carry heightened litigation risk due to his whistleblower claims."