Michigan’s Dearborn Heights Police Department debuted an “optional patch” this week that officers can wear on their uniforms. On the patch, the words “Dearborn Heights” and “Police” are written in both English and Arabic.

“The Dearborn Heights Police Department is proud to share a new optional patch that our officers may wear as part of their uniform,” the department said in a statement, adding:

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.

Dearborn Heights has one of the highest populations of Muslim in America.

After two days of public pushback against the idea, Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi said that the patch was supposed to be circulated internally and “should NOT have been presented as an official prototype.”

“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,” Bazzi said in a statement.

Optional or not, it doesn’t seem like there should be a reason to issue such a patch. Police officers in Miami don’t have patches with writing in Spanish, as far as I’m aware.