DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI – In an effort to “honor the diversity” of Michigan’s Dearborn Heights, the local police department revealed an optional police patch which features the words “Dearborn Heights” and “Police” in English and Arabic, an ostensible stunt which has stirred criticism all the way up to the nation’s capital.
In a move that’s as confounding as it is controversial, the Dearborn Heights Police Department unveiled in a since-deleted Facebook post an image of an “optional police patch” featuring the name of the department in both English and Arabic.
In the since-deleted post from the department, a glowing introduction to the police patch read, “The Dearborn Heights Police Department is proud to share a new optional patch that our officers may wear as part of their uniform. This patch was created by Officer Emily Murdoch, who designed it to reflect and honor the diversity of our community - especially the many residents of Arabic descent who call Dearborn Heights home.”
The aforementioned Facebook post further justified the developed police patch with, “By incorporating Arabic script alongside English, this patch represents unity, respect, and our shared commitment to service. We are proud of Officer Murdoch's creativity and dedication in helping our department better represent the people we serve.”
Back in June, Law Enforcement Today reported on a then-ongoing case in Michigan where we interviewed Alison Reedy of New Boston, whose concerns were fomenting over whether her son was the target of false criminal allegations due to his Christian faith while residing “near Dearborn, which has the largest Muslim population per capita in the United States.” According to local reports, immigrants of Middle Eastern or North African descent make up roughly 55 percent of the city’s population, growing by 16 percent over the past two years.
Outside of the general public backlash the unveiled police patch garnered, Florida Republican Congressman Randy Fine commented on the controversy, taking to social media with, “They said their goal was to bring sharia law to America. You should have believed them. Pray for Michigan.”
Despite the official Facebook page for the Dearborn Heights Police Department having been responsible for the now-deleted post featuring the police patch, an early morning update from the department’s Facebook page on September 5th features a statement from Mayor Bill Bazzi backtracking on the unveiling of the patch and claiming the proposed patch “was not put forth for consensus or further review.”
“On Wednesday, September 3rd, information was disseminated from the Dearborn Heights Police Department regarding a digital mock-up of the DHPD patch bearing the department name translated in Arabic script,” the update reads, adding, “The design mock-up idea showed the words ‘Dearborn Heights Police’ in Arabic and was said to be optional. The patch effort was an internal discussion among some within the police department, which was not put forth for consensus or further review.”
Mayor Bazzi is quoted in the aforementioned post as saying, “Should efforts like this be formally undertaken to make any changes to the Police uniform, it is our goal to include multiple PD stakeholders for a larger conversation, to ensure all are included in the discussion. As we are one PD, each individual’s uniform represents the DHPD as a whole, and therefore merits the review and input of all.”
In a move that’s as confounding as it is controversial, the Dearborn Heights Police Department unveiled in a since-deleted Facebook post an image of an “optional police patch” featuring the name of the department in both English and Arabic.
In the since-deleted post from the department, a glowing introduction to the police patch read, “The Dearborn Heights Police Department is proud to share a new optional patch that our officers may wear as part of their uniform. This patch was created by Officer Emily Murdoch, who designed it to reflect and honor the diversity of our community - especially the many residents of Arabic descent who call Dearborn Heights home.”
The aforementioned Facebook post further justified the developed police patch with, “By incorporating Arabic script alongside English, this patch represents unity, respect, and our shared commitment to service. We are proud of Officer Murdoch's creativity and dedication in helping our department better represent the people we serve.”
Back in June, Law Enforcement Today reported on a then-ongoing case in Michigan where we interviewed Alison Reedy of New Boston, whose concerns were fomenting over whether her son was the target of false criminal allegations due to his Christian faith while residing “near Dearborn, which has the largest Muslim population per capita in the United States.” According to local reports, immigrants of Middle Eastern or North African descent make up roughly 55 percent of the city’s population, growing by 16 percent over the past two years.
Outside of the general public backlash the unveiled police patch garnered, Florida Republican Congressman Randy Fine commented on the controversy, taking to social media with, “They said their goal was to bring sharia law to America. You should have believed them. Pray for Michigan.”
Despite the official Facebook page for the Dearborn Heights Police Department having been responsible for the now-deleted post featuring the police patch, an early morning update from the department’s Facebook page on September 5th features a statement from Mayor Bill Bazzi backtracking on the unveiling of the patch and claiming the proposed patch “was not put forth for consensus or further review.”
“On Wednesday, September 3rd, information was disseminated from the Dearborn Heights Police Department regarding a digital mock-up of the DHPD patch bearing the department name translated in Arabic script,” the update reads, adding, “The design mock-up idea showed the words ‘Dearborn Heights Police’ in Arabic and was said to be optional. The patch effort was an internal discussion among some within the police department, which was not put forth for consensus or further review.”
Mayor Bazzi is quoted in the aforementioned post as saying, “Should efforts like this be formally undertaken to make any changes to the Police uniform, it is our goal to include multiple PD stakeholders for a larger conversation, to ensure all are included in the discussion. As we are one PD, each individual’s uniform represents the DHPD as a whole, and therefore merits the review and input of all.”
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments
2025-09-07T18:56-0400 | Comment by: Dennis
How absolutely disgusting. Hasn’t anybody in that PD been told that English is the official language of the United States of America? All of the federal fundings for that police department and that city should be stopped. It doesn’t matter that 50 or 55% of the population is Middle Eastern or from North Africa. When you come to America, you should assimilate with the country, not try and make it the country you left.