Las Vegas Police Will Soon Be Driving Around in Tesla Cybertrucks
If you've seen the Tesla Cybertruck driving by you on the road, it may remind you of a military tank - big, (almost) bulletproof, and nearly silent moving.
Despite resembling a bit like a dumpster, the fully-electric Cybertruck is far from trash. Its futuristic design includes voice recognition, climate control, and autopilot that can detect pedestrians, vehicles, and obstacles.
While Tesla cars share similar features with its sister vehicle, the Cybertruck is one of its kind due to its design.
It may not be practical for the average driver, however, there is a population of people that the Cybertruck may be perfect for - the police. And thanks to a donation, some of the Las Vegas police will be riding around Sin City in them.
A Fleet of Donated Cybertrucks
Ben Horowitz, the co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, capital market company, donated a fleet of Cybertrucks to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. This isn't the first time Horowitz has donated to the department.
Over the last few years, he has donated over $7 million - much of which was used to buy technology from Andreessen Horowitz portfolio companies.
The Cybertruck donation was announced by Las Vegas sheriff, Kevin McMahill on February 25th during his "state of the department" address.
In his speech, McMahill stated, "We want these things because the cops inside will be safe no matter what. These stop bullets. They are also a tremendous recruitment tool for us."
Why Cybertrucks?
As the Las Vegas sheriff stated, Cybertrucks can help keep the police officers of the city safe.
In the first eight months of 2024, 47 police officers were feloniously killed. This is a 6.8% increase compared to the 44 officers killed during the same timeframe in 2023. Firearms were used in 76% of these deaths.
While Tesla Cybertrucks are not entirely bulletproof, they are able to withstand some gunfire. Its stainless steel body is able to withstand 9 mm handgun rounds, however, a .50 caliber bullet could easily penetrate it.
YouTuber, JerryRigEverything, tested out the Cybertruck's bulletproof capabilites. In this video, he discovered the vehicle could withstand 9 mm ammo, but it cracked when multiple shots were fired in the same spot.
The Cybertruck's 'Armor glass' windows are designed to be highly-shatter resistant. Tesla has promoted that these windows are able to withstand the impact of a baseball at high speed and Class 4 hail. For reference, a roof to reach Class 4 hail status, a product must be able to show no signs of penetration or fracture after a 2-inch ball is dropped twice on the same spot from 20 feet away.
However, during a 2019 test when the Cybertruck was first unveiled, the armor glass windows failed to pass a demonstration, nearly shattering when a metal ball was thrown at it. While this was five years ago, and the vehicle has made plenty of advancements, it does make you wonder of the true durability of the Cybertruck.
Cybertrucks vs Police Cars
Cybertrucks might look like military tanks, but are they actually the best choice to help keep police safe?
The next question we should ask is are police cars bulletproof? Some cars are - armed with armoring and ballistic glass designed to stop handgun rounds. They can be armored with bullet-resistant glass, reinforced door hinges, and other features to help officers stay protected.
For example, the Ford Explorer Police Interceptor PPV is designed to be protected against AR-15s and other high-power rifles.
The Tesla Cybertruck can withstand some rifle rounds, but higher velocity bullets from modern weapons can likely penetrate it.
However, Tesla came with a plan to make their military-like vehicle even better with the Armormax® armored Cybertruck. This model has been designed with bulletproof glass. The price difference? Pretty hefty.
Customers can expect to spend at least $40,000-$90,000 just for the armoring technology, on top of the Cybertruck price - which can range from around $80,000-$100,000.
It isn't clear whether Horowitz donated these armored vehicles or regualr Cybertrucks, but it might be worth the upgrade to keep Las Vegas police even safer.
While there are conflicting reports, Horowitz donated either 10 or 11 Cybertrucks to the department.
The California Police Cybertruck
While Las Vegas will be the first area to receive a fleet of Cybertrucks for their officers, they're not the first ones to put the red and blue lights on them.
A police department in California had the country's first Cybertruck for police use, but it's not for what you think.
Instead of chasing down criminals or pulling over speeders, this vehicle is simply used to help make anti-drug events at schools more exciting. The D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program is intended to teach children about the dangers of drugs and had been implemented at over 75% of schools nationwide since it started in 1983.
Since children may not see this program as "cool" or "fun", the police department thought a Cybertruck with the D.A.R.E. logo on the side may help. Otherwise, the Cybertruck isn't used for anything else, but they haven't ruled it out if needed.