DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. – A lawsuit has been filed against the Dearborn Heights Police Department over alleged violent sexual misconduct by a former sergeant.
Marko Law, PLLC, a Michigan civil rights firm, filed the suit on Tuesday (May 6).
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Officer Maxwell Bearden and Sergeant Hashim Zrien bring claims against the Dearborn Heights Police Department and former Sergeant Jordan Dottor, including claims of sexual harassment and assault.
The lawsuit alleges the Dearborn Heights Police Department has employed both Bearden and Zrien for many years.
The lawsuit says that both Bearden and Zrien were forced to undergo unwelcome and unwanted sexual harassment from Dottor, including:
- Demands by Dottor for officers to send sexually explicit photographs of their genitals and sexual interactions with others through Snapchat.
- Dottor sending unwanted and unrequested photographs of his genitals to the officers through Snapchat.
- Demanding and coercing Bearden to engage in oral sex while employed by the Dearborn Heights Police Department and while physically present at the station, in addition to off-site locations.
Here is a statement from the Dearborn Heights Police Department:
On April 9, 2025, the Dearborn Heights Police Department was made aware of an incident which led to one of our officers coming forward and sharing information regarding a sexual assault that occurred at the department between 2021 and 2022. The individual that was named in the sexual assault allegations was a Sergeant with the Police Department, but has not been employed with the department since 2023.
Police Chief Ahmed Haidar said the Police Department will fully cooperate with this investigation and does not condone any acts of sexual assault, harassment, and/or behaviors negatively effecting members of this department or citizens. These incidents occurred prior to the arrival of Chief Haidar in 2025.
The Dearborn Heights Police Department has asked the Michigan State Police to head the investigation into the allegations. Due to this being an ongoing investigation, details and personal information cannot be released at this time. For further information regarding the investigation, please contact the Michigan State Police. For all other questions, please contact the Chief’s Office at 313-277-7408.
Dearborn Heights Police Department
The lawsuit claims the department and its supervisors/sergeants were aware of Dottor’s conduct and refused to investigate or address what was happening.
The lawsuit also says that the department fostered a hostile work environment that prevented its officers from coming forward with complaints regarding Dottor’s alleged actions.
The Dearborn Heights Police Department employees named in the lawsuit have included claims against the sergeant individually ranging from assault, battery, negligence, gross negligence, and direct negligence, as well as claims against the department for violations of the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act due to the alleged suffering disparate treatment, hostile work environment, and retaliation.
The lawsuit is filed by attorneys Jonathan R. Marko and Alexander L. Waldman.
Update: Attorney describes ‘pervasive’ sexual misconduct claims in lawsuit against Dearborn Heights police
The Dearborn Heights Police Department said they were made aware of an incident that occurred on April 9, 2025, which led to one of their officers coming forward and sharing information aboout a sexual assault at the department between 2021 and 2022.
DHPD stated that Dottor has not been employed by the department since 2023.
Dearborn Heights police Chief Ahmed Haidar said the department would fully cooperate with the investigation and did not condone any acts of sexual assault, harassment, and/or behaviors negatively affecting members of the police department or citizens.
DHPD said the incidents occurred before Haidar’s arrival in 2025, and they have asked the Michigan State Police to investigate the allegations.