Nation's largest fleet of police Tesla Cybertrucks to patrol Las Vegas
The nation's largest police fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks is set to begin patrolling the streets of Las Vegas in November thanks to a donation from a U.S. tech billionaire
The nation's largest police fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks is set to hit the streets of Las Vegas this November, courtesy of a donation from a U.S. tech billionaire - sparking worries about the blurring lines between public and private interests.
"Welcome to the future of policing," Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill declared at a recent press conference, flanked by the futuristic vehicles as drones buzzed overhead and a police helicopter circled above.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's fleet of 10 black-and-white Cybertrucks features flashing lights, sirens and the department's logo emblazoned on their sides. Approximately 400 officers have completed training to operate the trucks, which will rely on public charging stations.
The all-electric vehicles come equipped with shotguns, shields and ladders, plus enhanced battery capacity to meet the rigorous demands of police work, McMahill explained.
However, the donation has sparked concern among government oversight experts regarding private donors' sway over public departments and the promotional benefit to the Tesla brand. The department joins a growing list of U.S. cities adopting Tesla models, even as Elon Musk's electric vehicle company has encountered criticism due to his efforts earlier this year to advance the president's political agenda and reduce the size of the federal government.
McMahill emphasized the trucks will enhance officer safety due to their bulletproof construction, unlike Metro's existing squad cars. Each Cybertruck carries a price tag of approximately $80,000.
The vehicles cost $115,000 each and will handle emergency situations like barricades and shootings alongside routine patrol duties.
The Cybertrucks bring distinct advantages including a tighter turning radius, he explained.
"They look a little bit different than the patrol cars that we have out there, but they represent something far bigger than just a police car," the sheriff said. "They represent innovation. They represent sustainability, and they represent our continued commitment to serve this community with the best tools that we have available, safely, efficiently and responsibly."
The new fleet arrives during a turbulent year for Tesla, which has faced numerous recalls. Back in March, U.S. safety regulators issued a recall affecting nearly every Cybertruck on American roads.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recall, covering over 46,000 Cybertrucks, cautioned that an exterior trim piece running alongside the windshield's left and right edges could come loose during operation, posing a serious hazard to other motorists and heightening crash risks. Tesla agreed to replace the components at no cost in notification letters distributed in May.
Then in late October, Tesla initiated another recall involving more than 63,000 Cybertrucks across the U.S. due to excessively bright headlights that could distract oncoming drivers and raise collision dangers.
Las Vegas officer Robert Wicks from the department's public information office confirmed that all Tesla recall issues will be resolved before the Cybertr The streets are patrolled by trucks. The March recall concerning panel issues was addressed before the department received the trucks, he noted.
Federal regulators have launched yet another investigation into Tesla's self-driving feature following numerous incidents where cars ran red lights or drove on the wrong side of the road, sometimes resulting in crashes and injuries.
The Cybertrucks modified for the Las Vegas police fleet do not possess any kind of self-driving feature.
Laura Martin, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Action Fund, expressed that the imposing trucks with their sharp angles "seems like they're designed for intimidation and not safety.
"It just seems like Cybertrucks arriving on the streets of Clark County shows that Sheriff McMahill is prioritizing corporate giveaways and police militarization over real community needs," she commented.
This donation follows President Donald Trump's shopping for a new Tesla on the White House driveway earlier this year, expressing his hope that his purchase would aid the company as it grappled with falling sales and plummeting stock prices.
Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, stated that now the Las Vegas fleet of another Tesla model "to patrol our communities really draws the next parallel there."
Haseebullah also expressed concern about the Cybertrucks' surveillance capabilities that the public may be unaware of, and that the fleet might provide Tesla access to police.
Following the explosion of a Cybertruck outside Trump's Las Vegas tower earlier this year, Tesla was able to provide detailed information about the driver inside, including the driver's movements leading up to the blast.
Ed Obayashi, a special prosecutor in California and an authority on national and state police practices, explained that private donations to law enforcement are neither uncommon nor illegal unless prohibited by local or state regulations.
In this instance, the donation consists of physical equipment, and the funds cannot be redirected elsewhere, Obayashi noted. However, he doesn't believe the trucks offer the department any particular operational edge.
"There's not going to be really any distinct or noticeable advantage or benefits, so to speak, other than the fact that it's a free vehicle and it saves the taxpayers money to replace equipment," Obayashi said.
The Las Vegas fleet represented a donation worth approximately $2.7 million from Ben Horowitz, co-founder of the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, or a16z, and his wife, Felicia Horowitz.
The couple, who reside in Las Vegas, have contributed multiple times to the department, including between $8 million to $9 million for Project Blue.
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