Dearborn Heights Police Department in Michigan has unveiled the first police patch in the United States featuring both English and Arabic lettering, a move meant to reflect the city's large Middle Eastern population.
The department celebrated the patch in a post on Facebook Wednesday evening, praising Officer Ermily Murdoc, the person who designed and created them. They note the Arabic lettering on the patch is optional as they seek to "honor the diversity" in their community.
Census data reported by the Detroit Free Press in 2023 shows that the city of Dearborn Heights is roughly 39 percent Middle Eastern or North African (MENA), with most of those Arab. Neighboring Dearborn has a nearly 55 percent population with MENA ancestry, also with most being Arab.
"We are proud of Officer Murdoch's creativity and dedication in helping our department better represent the people we serve," the department's Facebook page reads.
"Our officers proudly serve all members of our community, and this new design is another way we continue to celebrate the rich cultures that make our city unique."
Their post provides an image of the new patch showing both English and Arabic lettering. Comments have been disabled for the post.
DIVE DEEPER: English Is Spoken Here - We Finally Have a National Language Thanks to Trump Executive Order
It should be noted that Rashida Tlaib is the Representative for both Dearborn Heights and Dearborn, with the latter being home to the largest American Muslim population per capita, as well as the largest mosque in North America.
President Donald Trump carried Dearborn Heights over Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, 44-38 percent. RedState reported in the weeks leading up to the election that dozens of imams and religious leaders had sown confusion into the community, alternatively encouraging Muslims to vote for and against Harris.
Imam Hassan Qazwini, who founded the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights, said he "personally (didn't) know anyone who would vote for Harris."
Dueling letters were issued with one encouraging Muslims to vote for Harris and another pressing them to vote third party. That confusion may have played a role in the results. Green Party candidate Jill Stein garnered 15 percent of the vote.
Trump also carried Dearborn, with 42 percent of the vote, to Harris's 36 percent. Stein received 18 percent.
The Dearborn Heights Police Department is the first in the nation to feature an Arabic script on their official police patch. https://t.co/wRCwAOY4x3
— FOX 2 Detroit (@FOX2News) September 4, 2025
President Trump, in March, signed an Executive Order designating English as the official language of the United States.
"From the founding of our Republic, English has been used as our national language. Our Nation’s historic governing documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, have all been written in English," a White House statement at the time reads.
"A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.
Trump has indicated that making English the official language of America is an essential way for immigrants to assimilate into the country.
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