First U.S. Cops to Wear Arabic on Official Uniform Patches

Michigan has one of the largest Arabic-speaking populations in the country. One city has done a U.S. first by adding Arabic to their police force patch.

Dearborn Heights is the first Arab-majority city in the United States. Many of the cities residents speak Arabic so it makes sense to have the police patches relate to the majority of its population.

Michigan's Arab Americans

Arab Americans hold the majority of the population in Dearborn Heights. They play a big part in local and national elections, but what brought those folks to migrate to the area?

There are multiple factors that have contributed to Dearborn becoming a major center for Arab Americans. Like many immigrant communities seeking better lives, they migrate to America for better job opportunities combined with conflicts in the Middle East. The auto industry has long driven population growth in Dearborn, and now there is a strong local economy of Arab-owned businesses.

Read More: Arabic Nameplate Debuts in NCAA Football

This has created opportunities for and a support network for new immigrants, providing a foundation for economic stability.

Mi Police Dept Makes History With Arabic On Uniform Patches

According to FOX 2 Detroit, the Dearborn Heights Police department has added Arabic to the patches on the officers' uniforms. The patch is designed to reflect the city's large Middle Eastern population.

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Like all police patches in the state, it features the Michigan seal in the center with the city name above it, but it is written in both English and Arabic. Watch the video above to get a better idea of why the patch was created. There have been some mixed emotions about the patch change online but many of the posts have been taken down.

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