- Las Vegas police became the first department in the US to roll out Tesla Cybertrucks as official patrol vehicles.
- The trucks will be customised for both routine patrol work and elite SWAT operations.
- All 10 Cybertrucks were donated by an anonymous supporter, causing speculation about Tesla’s involvement.
Ever since Elon Musk revealed the Cybertruck, it has been a love-it-or-leave-it scenario, with some praising it as a vision of the future and others thinking a 5-year-old drew it in Microsoft Paint. From having Joe Rogan shoot at it with arrows to having a social media showdown with a Russian warlord, the truck hasn’t had a quiet minute.
But now, it’s about to serve a whole new purpose of fighting crime. A fully-fledged fleet of 10 Cybertrucks is joining Las Vegas roads — not as a display, but as functional units.
Cybertruck Meets SWAT
The futuristic trucks will not just turn on lights at parades; they are equipped to do everything from high-speed chases to SWAT deployments. The department revealed a desert-coloured version of the Cybertruck that has matte black wheels and rugged mud-terrain tyres.
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But that’s just the start. These SWAT-ready Cybertrucks come with reinforced armoured doors, bullet-resistant windows, heavy-duty bumpers, and an off-road suspension system built to handle extreme situations. Because let’s be honest, when things get real, you want your vehicle to be as tough as the people inside it.
The LVMPD’s use of Cybertrucks has definitely shown how police forces are adapting to modern challenges. LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill expressed his excitement by saying:
“These cutting-edge vehicles will be customised for LVMPD patrol and SWAT, helping our officers protect and serve with the latest technology.”
The standard Cybertruck police vehicle doesn’t have all the extreme SWAT upgrades, but it still looks every bit as futuristic. With flashing light bars, custom wheels, and LED spotlights, it’s ready for regular patrol duty while making sure it still makes a bold statement wherever it goes.
Who Paid for the Fleet?
Here’s where things get interesting: not a single dollar of LVMPD’s budget went into these trucks. The entire fleet was donated by an anonymous supporter, leading to speculation about who’s behind it.
Is it Elon Musk? A high-stakes Vegas player with a passion for modern cop vehicles? No one knows for sure, though, considering that Cybertrucks hasn’t exactly been a hot item in recent days; some are surmising Tesla is rolling them out as a smart PR strategy.
Regardless, this mystery donor saved LVMPD $1 million and helped them dodge any potential backlash over taxpayer money being used for high-tech crime-fighting toys.
Not the First for Tesla
The use of Cybertrucks by the LVMPD has been groundbreaking, but it is not the first time Cybertrucks are being used in policing. Last year, the Irvine Police Department in California rolled out a Cybertruck, but it had a much less dramatic purpose. Instead of high-speed chases, their truck was used for community outreach events like the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program. Not exactly Fast & Furious material.
Of course, Tesla isn’t the only fancy car being used by the police. Dubai has been famous for a long time for using Lamborghinis and Bugattis to patrol its streets, proving that sometimes, law enforcement is as much about visual appeal as it is about practicality.
But the Cybertruck is different. With its stainless-steel and bulletproof exterior, electric efficiency, and undeniable presence, this might be the first time a police vehicle looks like it belongs in a sci-fi blockbuster. Will other police departments across the US follow Vegas’ lead? Only time will tell.
