The streets of Las Vegas are now patrolled by one of the most futuristic and controversial police fleets in the United States. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) has officially deployed a battalion of 10 Tesla Cybertrucks, wrapped in distinctive black-and-white livery and equipped with emergency lights and sirens.
A Multi-Million Pound Donation from Silicon Valley
The acquisition of the angular, stainless-steel vehicles, which began patrolling last month, did not cost taxpayers a single dollar. The entire fleet, valued at approximately $2.7m (£2.1m), was a donation. After initial speculation, the mysterious benefactors were revealed to be Ben Horowitz, co-founder of the powerhouse Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and his wife, Felicia.
Internal police emails obtained through a public records request show the donation was being planned as early as 1 December 2024, just weeks after Donald Trump's election victory. The vehicles were funnelled through a law enforcement charity named Behind the Blue and finalised in late January 2025.
In correspondence, LVMPD Chief of Staff Mike Gennaro told Horowitz the trucks would boost officer morale, writing: "The morale of the cops will be through the roof when these show up at their substations." The donation also included an eleventh 'sting protector' vehicle for the department's SWAT team.
Innovation or Endorsement? Mixed Reactions to the Futuristic Fleet
Sheriff Kevin McMahill has championed the vehicles as symbols of innovation, stating they represent "a groundbreaking approach to modern policing" and his ambition to build "the most technologically advanced police department on the planet." He first sparked public interest in February by posting renderings on X, declaring "These are badass."
However, the move has drawn criticism from civil liberties groups. Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada, suggested the use of the trucks appeared to be an endorsement of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. "I recognize that LVMPD sees value in having cool-looking vehicles... But the reality is that for communities, that's not what they're asking for," Haseebullah said. "They're asking to feel safer. I don't know that a Tesla Cybertruck makes anybody feel any safer."
The controversy is not isolated to Las Vegas. Other US cities, including Baltimore and King County, Washington, have faced public backlash for plans to integrate Tesla vehicles into government fleets.
Recall Woes and Performance Tweaks
The Cybertruck's integration into police work comes amid ongoing concerns about the vehicle's reliability. In its two years on the market, the model has been subject to 10 separate recalls. Issues have ranged from faulty pedals and overly bright headlights to body panelling prone to detaching while driving.
The LVMPD stated all recall issues were addressed before the fleet's deployment. Furthermore, the department requested a key performance feature be disabled. The specialist upfitter, UpFit, was asked to remove Tesla's "Beast Mode" from all 11 vehicles—a setting that enables staggering acceleration from 0-60mph in just 2.6 seconds.
The vehicles underwent a ten-month retrofit process to be fitted with police-specific equipment like barrier shields, ladders, and tactical gear. The SWAT vehicle is intended for high-risk scenarios involving barricaded suspects or hostage incidents.
This donation is part of a broader pattern of tech-centric support from Ben Horowitz to the LVMPD, totalling around $8m (£6.3m) in recent years. Previous gifts have included licence plate readers, drones, and AI for 911 calls—all products from companies within Andreessen Horowitz's investment portfolio.
As these unconventional patrol cars hit the neon-lit streets, they symbolise a stark intersection of cutting-edge technology, private philanthropy, and modern law enforcement, raising as many questions about policing priorities as they do about automotive innovation.
