The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is raising eyebrows after announcing it will be the first law enforcement agency to receive a fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks.
The department revealed it had been gifted at least ten Cybertrucks for patrol and SWAT use, courtesy of an unnamed donor.
“By the way, we ordered these before the Trump Tower [explosion],” Sheriff Kevin McMahill said, referencing the New Year’s Day incident that killed an active-duty Army soldier and injured several others.
McMahill emphasized the vehicles’ safety features, stating, “But I will tell you, we want these things because the cops inside will be safe no matter. These stop bullets. They are also a tremendous recruitment tool for us.”
He assured the public that the donation would not impact the department’s budget, highlighting the generosity of the donor.
This announcement follows Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s assistance in the investigation of the explosion outside Trump Tower earlier this year. At the time, LVMPD praised Musk, who has since emerged as a senior adviser to Donald Trump.
On Tuesday, Musk acknowledged the Cybertruck news via Twitter, replying with an emoji wearing sunglasses. This has left many to believe that he was the mastermind behind this donation. If true, this raises concerns about Musk’s involvement in showing favor to agencies of his choosing now that he has a permanent place in government, thanks to the newly formed DOGE division.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 25, 2025
