A Hamtramck police chief who was at the center of controversy this year has resigned as part of an agreement with the city.

According to attorney Amir Makled, the agreement with Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri allows him to receive a lump-sum severance equal to five months of his base salary and to leave his position "in peace and with his good name intact."

Makled says the resignation is in lieu of termination, adding that news reports of Altaheri being fired by the city council in August were inaccurate. He also claims that Altaheri was retaliated against for being a whistleblower.

"The chief had been reporting wrongdoing from other police officers and had been giving advice to the mayor and to the city attorney about some of the misdeeds of people in the police department. And so, instead of being protected as a whistleblower, he was terminated," Makled told CBS News Detroit.

In May 2025, Altaheri was suspended by former City Manager Max Garbarino over alleged misconduct. Garbarino also suspended former Special Investigator David Adamczyk, but said at the time that Adamczyk's suspension was to protect him after he reported Altaheri to the FBI and Michigan State Police.

Following the suspensions, the city hired Miller Johnson Attorneys to investigate Altaheri, Adamczyk and Garbarino. The 59-page report from the Detroit-based law firm concluded Altaheri and Adamczyk engaged in "significant" misconduct that warranted termination.

Some of the allegations in the report included Altaheri driving a city-issued vehicle while intoxicated. The report also found that Garbarino had a right to put Altaheri and Adamczyk on leave, but failed to act quickly in suspending them after learning of their alleged misconduct months before.

Makled called the report "one-sided" and pointed the finger at Garbarino, who he claims prompted the "one-sided" investigation. Garbarino, who was suspended after Altaheri, was terminated in August, along with Adamczyk.

CBS News Detroit contacted Garbarino for comment. His attorney, Reno Arabo, said in part, "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."