Las Vegas Police to Deploy Nation’s Largest Tesla Cybertruck Fleet
LAS VEGAS (January 26, 2024) – The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) is poised to become the first law enforcement agency in the nation to deploy a substantial fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks, totaling approximately $2.7 million in value. the vehicles, donated by Silicon Valley venture capitalist ben Horowitz and his wife, Felicia Horowitz, are expected to hit the streets in the coming weeks, marking a significant investment in the department’s technology and patrol capabilities.
The donation consists of Cybertrucks and represents a broader pattern of support from the Horowitzes, who have contributed between $8 million to $9 million to the LVMPD’s “Project Blue Sky” for drone implementation, and also funding for emergency call technology and license plate readers. Ben Horowitz is a co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and was an investor in Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, now known as X.
LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill emphasized the couple’s desire to bolster public safety in Las Vegas, stating they wanted to ensure the city didn’t “become California when it comes to crime.”
While the donation is not uncommon for law enforcement agencies, according to California special prosecutor Ed Obayashi, it is indeed noteworthy for its scale and the nature of the contribution – a physical asset rather than monetary funds. Obayashi, an expert on police practices, noted that such donations are generally legal unless prohibited by local or state law, and that the vehicles are unlikely to provide a “distinct or noticeable advantage” beyond cost savings for taxpayers.
The Horowitzes could not be reached for comment, but a 2024 blog post by Ben Horowitz highlighted thier commitment to public safety and the challenges faced by public sectors in securing funding for technology. In November 2024, Andreessen Horowitz hosted Sheriff McMahill and Metro Chief of Staff Mike gennaro on a podcast.
