Detroit suburb settles whistleblower lawsuit

HAMTRAMCK (AP) — The city of Hamtramck has settled a whistleblower lawsuit with a former employee who alleged officials fired him for reporting police misconduct and racial discrimination.

Attorney Mark Michael Koroi tells The Detroit News the city released a check for $75,000 last week after reaching a settlement with his client Steve Shaya in September. The case was dismissed Friday.

Shaya filed the lawsuit against Hamtramck and police officials in February 2014 saying the city framed him in a hit-and-run accident after he complained that an officer violated Hamtramck's ethics laws.

Koroi says the officer had a conflict of interest because he was also working as a subcontractor fixing police vehicles.

Shaya also alleged that city officials were harassing Muslim-Americans and Arab-Americans in the area. He was later fired.

Mayor Karen Majewski declined to comment on the suit.