People arrested by Canton police while wearing head coverings will no longer be forced to remove the items during the booking process as long as the coverings are worn for religious reasons.
The policy change, which became effective Tuesday, also allows people wearing religious head coverings, such as hijabs, turbans or burkas, to continue wearing the coverings while they are detained in the Canton Holding Facility.
Canton Police Lt. Todd Mutchler said the change should affect only a small number of those arrested in the township. He noted that wearing a head covering is considered a significant religious practice for many Muslims.
“We feel it better positions our police to provide police services to the diverse community we serve,” Mutchler said today.
Under the policy, an arrestee wearing such a covering would be asked if it would be OK to remove the item. If the person declined, officers would ask a series of questions to determine if the covering was worn for genuine religious reasons. If that was the case, the arrestee would be allowed to continue wearing the item.
Mutchler said booking photos showing someone with a religious head covering would be useful because it would likely reflect how that person actually appears in public.
Lena Masri, staff attorney for the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, applauded the change.
“We welcome the Canton Police Department’s proactive policy revisions allowing religious accommodation and hope that these new guidelines will serve as a model for other police departments throughout the state and the nation,” she said in a statement.