las vegas — The country’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 US tech billionaire, raising concerns about the blurring of lines between public and private interests.
“Welcome to the future of policing,” Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a recent news conference, surrounded by Cybertrucks as drones flew overhead and a police helicopter hovered overhead.
A fleet of 10 Las Vegas Police Department black and white Cybertrucks with flashing lights and sirens wrapped in the police department logo. About 400 officers were trained to operate the trucks that will use public charging stations.
The all-electric vehicles are equipped with guns, shields, ladders and additional battery capacity to better handle the demands of the police department, McMahill said.
The donation has raised concerns from government oversight experts about the influence of private donors on public administrations and the promotion of the Tesla brand. Circle is the latest American city to turn to even Tesla models like Elon Musk encountered an electric car company Negative reaction Because of his work earlier in the year to advance the president’s political agenda and reduce the size of the federal government.
McMahill noted that the trucks will help keep officers safe because they are bulletproof, while other Metro squad cars are not. Each Cybertruck is worth between $80,000 and $115,000 and will be used to respond to calls such as barricades and shootings as well as regular patrols.
Cybertrucks also offer unique advantages such as a shorter turning radius, he said.
“It looks a little different than our existing patrol cars, but it represents something much bigger than just a police car,” the sheriff said. “They represent innovation. They represent sustainability, and they represent our continued commitment to serving this community with the best tools we have available, safely, efficiently and responsibly.”
The fleet comes in the middle of a Roller coaster of the year Tesla has dealt with multiple recalls.
In March, US safety regulators He pointed out Almost all Cybertrucks are on the road.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall, which included more than 46,000 Cyber trucks, warned that the outer panel that runs along the left and right side of the windshield can detach while driving, creating a dangerous road hazard for other drivers, increasing the risk of an accident. Tesla offered to replace the panels for free in notification letters sent in May.
In late October, Tesla announced another recall of over 63,000 electronic trucks In the United States because headlights are very bright, which can cause distraction to other drivers and increase the risk of a collision.
All Tesla recalls will be handled before the Cybertrucks patrol the streets, said Robert Weeks, a Las Vegas officer in the department’s public information office. He said the March subpoena regarding the commission’s issues was dealt with before the department received the trucks.
Federal regulatory agencies have also opened their doors so far Another investigation Tesla introduced the self-driving feature after dozens of accidents in which cars ran red lights or drove on the wrong side of the road, sometimes crashing into other vehicles and causing injuries.
The Cybertrucks modified for the Las Vegas police fleet do not have any type of self-driving features.
The imposing trucks, with their sharp angles, “seem to be designed to intimidate, not safety,” said Laura Martin, executive director of the Nevada Action Fund’s Progressive Leadership Coalition.
“The arrival of Cybertrucks on the streets of Clark County appears to show that Sheriff McMahill is prioritizing corporate giveaways and the militarization of police over real community needs,” she said.
The donation comes after the president Donald Trump Earlier this year, he shopped for a new Tesla on the White House driveway, and said he hoped his purchase would help the company as it struggles with declining sales and falling stock prices.
Las Vegas’ fleet of another Tesla “to patrol our communities really draws the next parallel there,” said Athar Hasibullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada.
Haseebullah is also concerned about the Cybertrucks’ surveillance capabilities that the public may be unaware of, and that the fleet may give Tesla access to police data.
After a Cybertruck exploded outside Trump Tower in Las Vegas earlier this year, Tesla got the hang of it Provide detailed data of the driver inside, including the driver’s movements prior to the explosion.
Private donations to law enforcement are not uncommon or illegal unless prohibited by local or state law, said Ed Obayashi, a special prosecutor in California and an expert on national and state police practices.
In this case, the donation is a physical piece of equipment, and the money cannot be transferred to something else, Obayashi said. However, he doesn’t think the trucks provide the department with a specific advantage.
“There won’t be any distinct or noticeable advantage or benefits, so to speak, other than the fact that it’s a free car and saves taxpayer money on equipment replacement,” Obayashi said.
The Las Vegas fleet was a donation totaling about $2.7 million from Ben Horowitzco-founder of the Silicon Valley venture capital firm known as Andreessen Horowitz, or a16z, and his wife, Felicia Horowitz.
The couple, who live in Las Vegas, have made multiple donations to the department, including $8 million to $9 million for Project Blue Sky, a project the department is implementing using drones throughout the Valley. They also donated money to purchase emergency call technology and license plate readers — products from companies in which Andreessen Horowitz invests.
Ben Horowitz, who has donated to political campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans, was among the investors who Supported Elon Musk’s bid to take over Twitternow known as X.
His venture capital firm also hosted McMahill and Metro chief of staff Mike Gennaro on a podcast in November 2024.
Ben and Felicia Horowitz could not be reached for comment, but in a 2024 blog post, Ben Horowitz described their interest in donating to the department, stressing the importance of public safety and the difficulties the public sector faces in budgeting for technology.
The couple wants to make sure Las Vegas “doesn’t become California when it comes to crime,” McMahill said.