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A California police department has purchased a Tesla Cybertruck. Total costs: With renovation around 135,000 euros. Not everyone is enthusiastic about it.
Police cars are generally of the practical variety: it is important, for example, to have enough space to stow equipment – and of course to accommodate criminals. However, the officers are not always on patrol duty – every now and then there are also prevention campaigns or events to recruit employees. Occasionally, very special vehicles are used for this purpose – for example from the luxury class. This is how you want to generate as much attention as possible. But this always backfires – as a case from the US state of California shows.
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Irvine police buy Cybertruck – costs including conversion: around 135,000 euros
The Irvine police got one there Tesla Cybertruck gained, as they did some time ago announced on platform X. Costs include converting it into a police vehicle Carscoopswhich refers to one Forbes-Report refers to: Around 150,000 euros (equivalent to around 135,000 euros, as of mid-September 2024). According to reports, the electric pickup will be used primarily for PR to publicize an anti-drug program. But opinions apparently differ on the expensive purchase, as the comments on the above-mentioned post and another X post about the police cybertruck show.
“An enormous waste of public resources”: Much criticism of the Cybertruck purchase
Some users are enthusiastic about the design of the police Tesla, find it “cool” or “hammer hard”. One commenter goes even further, believing that “police vehicles should look like this by default.” But not everyone is convinced about the purchase. Many see the police-look Stromer as a waste of taxpayers’ money:
- “I don’t understand why our Irvine tax dollars have to be spent on a cyber truck.”
- “Complete waste of taxpayer money, but at least it was for something cool.”
- “I wonder how taxpayers can approve of this.”
- “A huge waste of public resources.”
- “I can’t believe you’re spending tax dollars on this ugly junk.”
- “What a waste of taxpayer money. But it’s a cool car.”
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Expensive police vehicles always trigger a violent reaction online
It’s not the shitstorm of this kind. Also a Rolls-Royce in police dress drew angry reactions – with one crucial difference: the Rolls-Royce was not purchased, but made available by a local dealer. He also allegedly covered all costs associated with the PR campaign. But many people probably missed that. Even at the presentation of a 650 hp police corvette, it was directly pointed out that “no taxpayer money was wasted to finance this vehicle,” but rather that it was confiscated from a suspect.
The police in Irvine, California, have acquired a Cybertruck – and have sparked heated discussions. (Symbolic image) © Bihlmayerfotografie/Imago
But it’s not just in the USA that there are extraordinary police vehicles: In Italy, for example, there is a 666 hp Urus Performante in the officers’ fleet – which is used, among other things, to transport organs. In everyday life, the police cars in Dubai are particularly well known – but also There have been 23 vehicles in the upper price range in use in Türkiye since the beginning of 2024.
