California Police Unveil ‘Country’s First Police Cybertruck’ to Impress Kids | Tesla

A police department in California has purchased a flashy new gadget to impress local kids: a $150,000 Tesla Cybertruck.

In a Facebook video with flash graphics, Irvine police said they believed the vehicle was “the first police cybertruck in the country.” It’s unlikely to be used in high-speed chases: Police say it is primarily used by officers for school programs, although it is capable of responding to emergencies.

“I am very proud to say we are the first police department in the country to have this in our fleet,” Police Chief Michael Kent told the Orange County Register.

The department’s 40-year-old Drug Abuse Resistance Education (Dare) program has used a number of flashy cars over the years, including PT Cruisers and small monster trucks, said Kyle Oldoerp, a police spokesman: “The goal has always been to have a unique one Vehicle that does not look like a police car that is accessible to children and students to promote interaction between officers, our schools and our community.”

Ever since Elon Musk announced the Cybertruck in 2019 – at an event where Tesla’s chief designer Franz Von Holzhausen tried to demonstrate its durability and smashed a window in the process – the unusual-looking electric vehicle has sparked controversy. As of last week, there have been five recalls in about a year since its release. Concerns included a stuck accelerator pedal and loose panel and wiper issues.

Oldoerp said the department is not concerned about the recalls, saying they are commonplace in its fleet and that there is a Tesla repair shop nearby.

Police paid $150,000 for the vehicle. A Ford Interceptor, the typical model of his patrol cars, costs $116,000. The department says the patrol cars will only last three to four years, while the Cybertruck is expected to last a decade. Additionally, the electric vehicle is expected to save $6,000 in gasoline over five years.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, which sends police officers into classrooms to encourage children to take drugs, has a controversial history. It was launched in 1983 as a collaboration between the Los Angeles Police Department and public schools and soon spread throughout the United States. In the late 90s and early 2000s, studies found that it had no significant effect and could even backfire.

The program was revised in 2009 and continues to be used in some parts of the country. Irvine is one of two California cities that still has the program, which has expanded its focus from drugs to bullying, healthy eating and other lifestyle issues, Oldoerp said.