OAN Staff Blake Wolf
3:22 PM – Friday, September 5, 2025
The Dearborn Heights Police Department in Michigan introduced a new optional uniform patch featuring both English and Arabic script. The patch, created by Officer Emily Murdoch, is intended to honor and reflect the city’s Middle Eastern and North African population.
However, after the department shared the design on Facebook and X, Mayor Bill Bazzi chimed in to clarify that the patch is still in the internal discussion phase and had not undergone formal review.
Consequently, after receiving immense backlash from both Michigan residents and Americans across the nation, the original post was quickly deleted, and the patch has not been officially adopted at this time.
It is unclear whether the department is awaiting a later date to make it available to its officers.
On the flip side, some had praised the department’s effort to reflect community diversity via the new Arabic patch.
In 2023, Dearborn, Michigan, became the destination for both the Arab American National Museum and the largest mosque in North America. Dearborn, with a population of 110,000 people, is the largest Arab-majority city in the United States, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data.
The patch was revealed on Wednesday, with the police department stating that it 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. 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,” the DHPD statement continued.
“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.”
The badge almost immediately went viral on social media following its posting, with many expressing outrage over it while suggesting that “the civilization takeover has begun.”
“This is how it starts. Dearborn Heights Police Dept. now has the nation’s first-ever uniform patch in Arabic. The civilization takeover has begun,” wrote media personality Brigitte Gabriel.
“Thanks to chain migration, Muslims are now a majority in Michigan’s Dearborn Heights (named after a Revolutionary War general). Now, local police have rolled out the country’s first-ever police badge with Arabic script. When you get conquered, you get a new language,” said Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
“Dearborn Heights’ Arabic patch is not a symbol of ‘unity’ but a symbol of disunity. There is no practical reason for any city to adopt or promote police badges in foreign languages— unless it’s to accommodate a community that won’t assimilate,” added media personality Brianna Lyman.
Additionally, in response to the backlash, Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi issued a statement announcing that the 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,” Bazzi commented in response to the backlash.
“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,” he added.
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