A Michigan police department says it’s introducing a new officer patch featuring both English and Arabic.
In a Facebook post Wednesday, the Dearborn Heights Police Department said the patch, which is optional, is meant to “reflect and honor the diversity of our community.”
“By incorporating Arabic script alongside English,” the department said, “this patch represents unity, respect, and our shared commitment to service.”
The department disabled comments on its post.
“Pray for Michigan,” Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., declared on X in response to a post about the announcement. “They said their goal was to bring sharia law to America. You should have believed them.”
Located in Wayne County, Michigan, Dearborn Heights has a large Middle Eastern and North African population—comprising roughly 39% of residents as of 2023, according to Fox 2. In neighboring Dearborn, about 54.5% of residents are of Middle Eastern and North African descent, and the city has the largest per-capita Muslim population in the U.S.
Dearborn Heights’ police department is led by Police Chief Ahmed Haidar, who was appointed acting chief in January before being officially named to the position in March. That made him the city’s fourth police chief in just under three years.
This latest announcement makes the police department the first in the country to feature Arabic script on its uniforms, Fox 2 reported.
Dearborn Heights also made history earlier in August when one of its residents was crowned Miss Wayne County, reportedly making her the first hijab-wearing woman to receive that distinction. Ameera Hashwi, the winner, is a Wayne State University grad in economics and law, and she previously interned for Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
On Jan. 1, Whitmer issued a proclamation declaring January 2025 “Muslim American Heritage Month in Michigan,” and in March, she issued a proclamation recognizing March 11-April 9 as the month of Ramadan in Michigan, citing Michigan families’ prayers for “lasting peace amid so much suffering in Gaza.”
