City officials in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have completed the removal of more than 600 neighborhood watch signs across the city following a unanimous vote by the City Council, a move that has drawn attention and criticism from some public figures, as reported [1] by Fox News.
The Democrat-controlled City Council approved the decision in a 10-0 vote in December, according to local outlet The Midwesterner. The removal effort was carried out this week, with the city confirming Tuesday that all signs had been taken down.
In a statement, city officials said the decision was intended to align with broader goals related to public safety and inclusion. “Removing the signs aligns the city’s environment with its commitment to inclusive, evidence-based public safety,” the city said.
The liberal city of Ann Arbor, Mich. has removed its last “neighborhood crime watch” sign in a move meant to be more welcoming to blacks and people of color. The woke believe that law and order are anti-black and anti-POC, hence they call for abolishment. https://t.co/KxbXnoSUmP [2]
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) April 29, 2026 [3]
Officials also stated that the action was meant to support “fostering trust, belonging, and welcoming neighborhoods for all residents and visitors.”
Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor, a Democrat, addressed the decision in a video released by the city. “Frankly, neighborhood watch signs are expressions of exclusion,” Taylor said.
The resolution adopted by the council stated that neighborhood watch programs “were often rooted in assumptions about who did and did not ‘belong’ in a neighborhood, reinforcing race-based hyper-vigilance and suspicion particularly toward Black, Brown, and other marginalized residents and visitors,” according to The Midwesterner.
City officials described the neighborhood watch program as “defunct,” adding that it emerged “during a period of national anxiety about crime and social change.”
“Such signage,” the city said, “does not reduce crime and can reinforce biased surveillance.”
According to MLive, the city allocated $18,000 for the removal process. The report noted that removing signs not related to traffic did not qualify for street funding, and with no available funds in the police budget, the city used cash reserves to cover the cost.
In a follow-up video released after the final sign was removed, Taylor reiterated the city’s position. “Ann Arbor is a welcoming community. We don’t want to push people. We want to welcome folks in,” he said, adding that the signs were “inconsistent with our values.”
City Council member Jen Eyer, also a Democrat, said the program reflected an outdated approach to public safety. “That is not how we do public safety in Ann Arbor today,” she said. “And we don’t want our signage to message to people who are visiting that they don’t belong, because they do.”
10 people sit on Ann Arbor’s city council.
10 voted to spend $18k taking down “unwelcoming” Neighborhood Watch signs.
0 said “wait, this sounds insane.”
At every level of government, Democrats prioritize the feelings of criminals over the citizens they were elected to serve. pic.twitter.com/kql5I1EwKS [4]
— Lisa McClain (@LisaForCongress) April 29, 2026 [5]
Taylor, Eyer, and another council member took part in a ceremonial removal of the city’s final neighborhood watch sign.
The decision prompted reactions from several public figures and commentators. New York City Council member Vickie Paladino, a Republican, responded, “They’re just insane.”
Conservative journalist Andy Ngo commented on X, “The woke believe that law and order are anti-black and anti-POC, hence they call for abolishment.”
A Michigan-based conservative influencer known as “Donnie Detroit” posted, “Isn’t that like encouraging crime?”
Tudor Dixon, a conservative commentator and former Republican candidate for Michigan governor, also responded to the move. “For years, the Democrats have demanded community policing over police funding, but today they have hit a new level of protecting the criminal over the community,” Dixon told Fox News Digital.
“There was a time Democrats believed it took a village to raise a child, and now they believe that village is racist,” Dixon added.
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to Mayor Taylor, Council member Eyer, and city representatives for further comment.