In a symbolic ceremony held at Zussman Park, the city of Hamtramck, Michigan, welcomed its new Police Chief, Jamiel Altaheri, along with two additional officers on Monday.

Altaheri, believed to be the first Yemeni Muslim police chief in the US, expressed his commitment to serving the diverse community of Hamtramck.

“I’m really excited to serve,” Altaheri said, WDET reported.

“This community is [a] diverse community. Because end of the day, as a chief of police you serve everyone, every every member of this community, one that comes here, visits here, resides here, does business here — we have to serve everyone.”

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With 20 years of experience at the New York Police Department, including leadership roles in diversity and inclusion, Altaheri aims to foster community relations and establish a youth academy in his new role.

“I came on the job in 2004, hearing a lot of racial bias rhetoric, and I realized there’s a lot of ignorance within the police department, as well as the community and society at that time,” he told WDET in February.

Altaheri co-founded the NYPD Muslim Officers Society, and founded the Yemeni American Law Enforcement Officers Association to help break stereotypes of Muslims.

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