Overview

• The department’s since-deleted Facebook post showcased an optional patch designed by Officer Emily Murdoch with “Dearborn Heights Police” in English and Arabic, which outlets noted would be the first of its kind in the U.S.
• Mayor Bill Bazzi said the patch remains an idea, should not have been presented as an official prototype, and any uniform change must go through a broader multi-stakeholder process.
• The Dearborn Heights Police Officers Association and Supervisors Association called Chief Ahmed Haidar’s release of the image reckless and said it created safety risks and feelings of segregation within the ranks.
• Union statements said the concept began as a commemorative patch for Ramadan before the chief discussed making it available year-round, a move they contend drew threats and widespread criticism.
• National conservative figures amplified objections on social media with Islamophobic rhetoric, while local context shows roughly 39% of residents are of Middle Eastern or North African descent and the patch has not been adopted.