Dearborn Heights cops say supervisor coerced them into sex, sent dick pics over Snapchat
A former police sergeant is accused of sexually assaulting two officers
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Two police officers are suing the Dearborn Heights Police Department, alleging their former supervisor used his position of power to sexually harass, coerce, and assault them — sometimes inside the station — while top brass ignored repeated red flags.
In a lawsuit filed Monday in Wayne County Circuit Court, Officers Maxwell Bearden and Hashim Zrien say former Sgt. Jordan Dottor sent them explicit photos, pressured them to perform sex acts, and threatened retaliation when they resisted. Both men say department officials were aware of Dottor’s behavior and allowed it to continue for years.
Bearden alleges Dottor coerced him into oral sex multiple times, including in the department’s SWAT room and once in a hotel room after a department gathering. Bearden said he was forced to pay for the room before Dottor demanded he undress. When Bearden refused to have anal sex, Dottor allegedly stormed out in frustration.
Zrien says Dottor sent him an unsolicited photo of his genitals with the caption, “Enjoy. It’s a peace offering,” and tried to pressure him into a threesome involving a woman and Dottor himself. When Zrien turned him down, he says Dottor told him, “If anybody finds out about this, I will fucking make your life hell.”
The lawsuit accuses Dottor of sending repeated requests for explicit content via Snapchat and text messages and retaliating against the officers for not responding. Both men said the harassment was common knowledge inside the department and that higher-ups did nothing to stop it.
“Dearborn Heights Police Department failed in its duty by not protecting our clients from sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination carried out by one of its sergeants,” said civil rights attorney Jonathan Marko, who is representing the officers. “The department did nothing to shield them from the daily humiliation and embarrassment they did and continue to endure.”
On Tuesday, the Dearborn Heights Police Department said it was made aware of the allegations on April 9 and noted that Dottor has not worked for the department since 2023. The department said the incidents took place before Police Chief Ahmed Haidar took over this year and that it has asked Michigan State Police to investigate.
“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,” the department said in a news release.
The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other long-term trauma and alleges the department fostered a hostile work environment, enabled a toxic culture, and retaliated against those who spoke up.
