The Las Vegas Police Tesla Cybertruck fleet is the largest fleet of its kind, giving the Las Vegas Metro Police electric trucks to patrol city streets.
Las Vegas Metro Police just unveiled a fleet of 10 Tesla Cybertrucks that will start patrolling the city in November, making it the largest police Cybertruck fleet in the country. The trucks were donated by tech venture capitalist Ben Horowitz and his wife Felicia, valued at $8 million to $9 million, so no taxpayer money was used in this police donation.
Bulletproof Tesla Cybertrucks for the Las Vegas Metro patrol fleet
Sheriff Kevin McMahill says the bulletproof vehicles will help keep officers safer since regular squad cars don’t have ballistic protection. Each area command across Las Vegas will get one Cybertruck, and more than 400 officers have already been trained to drive them. The trucks come equipped with shotguns, shields, ladders, and upgraded battery capacity to handle the extra power drain from emergency lights and computer systems.
They’ll be used for everything from regular patrols to barricade situations and SWAT calls. The donation has raised concerns from civil liberties groups about private influence on public police departments and the intimidating design of the angular vehicles. Some critics have expressed surveillance concerns about police data and technology giving access to Tesla, which creates a controversy with these donated police cruisers.
The Las Vegas Police Cybertruck fleet saves the department money
The LVMPD Cybertruck patrol vehicles don’t have any self-driving features, and estimates suggest each Cybertruck could save the department around $47,500 over five years compared to gas-powered patrol trucks due to lower maintenance and fuel costs. This means impressive savings when comparing electric patrol vehicle costs to gas-powered models.
Why is Las Vegas using Cybertrucks?
The decision of the police department to adopt electric vehicle Cybertrucks came after one exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day, though the sheriff says the vehicles were ordered before that incident. The truck’s stainless-steel body contained the blast, killing only the suspect inside. This incident was exactly what police needed to help protect them during extremely difficult and dangerous situations, and the Cybertruck is specially built to handle such challenges.
Does the new Las Vegas Police Tesla Cybertruck fleet blur the line?
When private citizens donate such large amounts to police forces, it raises concerns regarding their intentions with such a donation. Altruism isn’t always the bottom line, but hopefully it is with this donation. This can be the perfect use of money by a billionaire who simply wants to see the police force in Las Vegas protected and equipped with vehicles that can provide them with the perfect solution to their patrol needs and challenges.
Ben Horowitz has lived in Las Vegas for years and has made multiple donations to the police department. He and his wife have donated funds to buy emergency call technology, license plate readers, and drones that have been implemented for police use.
Policing the future
The future of policing is certainly found in these Cybertrucks. They have proven themselves in other scenarios, acting as mobile command centers during fires in Southern California earlier in the year. Tesla CEO Elon Musk donated seven Cybertrucks to act as mobile command centers and provide temporary internet connections, enabling residents to file insurance claims, contact loved ones, and stay connected during a time of disaster.
Cybertrucks offer specific benefits to police forces
The Las Vegas Police Tesla Cybertruck fleet is an extremely useful addition to the city’s equipment. Police can use these trucks to help create barricades, deal with shootings, and advance into dangerous situations. The Cybertruck offers a shorter turn radius than most other vehicles of its size, and it looks more imposing than some of the other patrol cars. These trucks will use public charging stations to recharge and provide police with conversation starters while interacting with the public.
“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. 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.”
– Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill
Next time you are in Sin City, you could see one of the Las Vegas Police Tesla Cybertruck fleet trucks on the road doing its job. This electric truck is becoming useful in ways that some might not have ever expected of a pickup truck.
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