Overview
- Ann Arbor says it has now taken down more than 600 Neighborhood Watch placards across the city after determining the program is defunct and the signs send the wrong message.
- The City Council unanimously approved the removal in December and set aside $18,000 from cash reserves, with local reports putting the final cost near $16,500.
- The last sign came down at Princeton Avenue and S. Seventh Street in a brief event with Mayor Christopher Taylor and council members Cynthia Harrison and Jen Eyer.
- City materials cite research that such signs do not reliably reduce crime and can encourage biased reporting, and they note the hotline printed on older signs is no longer monitored.
- Reaction has split sharply, with conservative outlets and social media users mocking the effort, while supporters say removing outdated signage reduces racialized suspicion and signals a more welcoming approach to safety.