“Welcome to the future of policing,” Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a recent press conference, surrounded by Cybertrucks while drones hovered overhead and a police helicopter circled above him.
The fleet of 10 black-and-white Cybertrucks of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, with flashing lights and sirens, are wrapped with the police department’s logo. About 400 officers have been trained to operate the trucks, which will use public charging stations.
The all-electric vehicles are equipped with shotguns, shields, ladders, and additional battery capacity to better handle the demands of a police department, McMahill said.
### Concerns Over Private Donations and Corporate Influence
The donation has raised concerns from government oversight experts about private donors’ influence on public departments and a potential boost to the Tesla brand. The department is the latest U.S. city to turn to Tesla models even as Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company has faced criticism because of Musk’s actions earlier in the year, which included advancing the president’s political agenda and downsizing the federal government.
McMahill noted the trucks will help keep officers safer because they are bulletproof, unlike Metro’s other squad cars. Each Cybertruck is valued between $80,000 and $115,000 and will be used to respond to calls such as barricades and shootings, in addition to regular patrols.
The Cybertrucks also offer unique benefits such as a shorter turning radius, he said.
“They look a little bit different than the patrol cars that we have out there, but they represent something far bigger than just a police car,” the sheriff said. “They represent innovation. They represent sustainability, and they represent our continued commitment to serve this community with the best tools that we have available, safely, efficiently, and responsibly.”
### Cybertrucks Have Been Repeatedly Recalled
The fleet comes amid a roller coaster year for Tesla, which has faced multiple recalls.
In March, U.S. safety regulators recalled virtually all Cybertrucks on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall, covering more than 46,000 Cybertrucks, warned that an exterior panel running along the left and right side of the windshield can detach while driving, creating a dangerous hazard for other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. Tesla offered to replace the panels free of charge through notification letters sent out in May.
In late October, Tesla announced another recall of more than 63,000 Cybertrucks in the U.S. because the front lights are too bright, potentially distracting other drivers and increasing the risk of collision.
Las Vegas officer Robert Wicks from the department’s public information office said all Tesla recalls will have been resolved before the Cybertrucks patrol the streets. The March panel issue recall was handled before the department received the trucks.
Federal regulators have also opened a new investigation into Tesla’s self-driving feature after dozens of incidents involving vehicles running red lights or driving on the wrong side of the road, sometimes crashing and causing injuries. The Cybertrucks modified for the Las Vegas police fleet do not have any self-driving features.
### Community Concerns About Militarization and Safety
Laura Martin, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Action Fund, criticized the trucks’ design.
“The imposing trucks with their sharp angles seem like they’re designed for intimidation and not safety,” she said. “Cybertrucks arriving on the streets of Clark County shows that Sheriff McMahill is prioritizing corporate giveaways and police militarization over real community needs.”
### Privacy and Surveillance Worries
The donation follows President Donald Trump’s purchase of a Tesla on the White House driveway earlier this year, which he said he hoped would help the company amid struggling sales and declining stock prices.
Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, expressed concern over the Cybertrucks’ surveillance capabilities that the public may be unaware of, fearing Tesla might gain access to police data. After a Cybertruck exploded outside Trump’s Las Vegas tower earlier this year, Tesla provided detailed data about the driver’s movements leading up to the incident.
### Expert Views on Private Donations
Ed Obayashi, a special prosecutor in California and an expert on police practices, said private donations to law enforcement are not uncommon or illegal unless prohibited by law. He explained that since the donation is a physical asset, the money cannot be diverted elsewhere.
That said, he doesn’t believe the trucks provide any particular advantage beyond being a free vehicle, which saves taxpayers money.
“There’s not going to be any distinct or noticeable advantage or benefits other than the fact that it’s a free vehicle and it saves the taxpayers money to replace equipment,” Obayashi said.
### Donation From Silicon Valley Venture Capitalists
The Las Vegas fleet was a donation totaling about $2.7 million from Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and his wife, Felicia Horowitz.
The couple, who live in Las Vegas, have made multiple donations to the department, including between $8 million and $9 million for Project Blue Sky, the department’s implementation of drones throughout the valley. They have also funded emergency call technology and license plate reader products from companies in which Andreessen Horowitz invests.
Ben Horowitz, who has donated to political campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans, was among the investors backing Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter (now known as X). His venture capital firm also hosted Sheriff McMahill and Metro Chief of Staff Mike Gennaro on a podcast in November 2024.
The Horowitzes could not be reached for comment; however, in a 2024 blog post, Ben Horowitz described their interest in donating to the department, emphasizing the importance of public safety and the budgeting challenges faced by public sectors for new technology.
McMahill said the couple wanted to ensure that Las Vegas didn’t “become California when it comes to crime.”
https://fortune.com/2025/11/02/tesla-cybertruck-las-vegas-police-musk-ben-horowitz-a16z/