I suppose this was inevitable: you can now have a Tesla Cybertruck upfitted for police duty. Yes, following in the footsteps of such legendary cars as the Dodge Diplomat or the Volkswagen Rabbit, the Cybertruck can now be had with reds and blues and prisoner partitions and even K9 enclosures, all thanks to Tesla upfitter UP.FIT. The company is part of Unplugged Performance, one of the first Tesla tuning companies. Police departments have been reportedly excited about this, according to publications like Law Enforcement Today, perhaps because it allows for all sorts of RoboCop/Judge Dredd-types of future-cop fantasies to feel a bit more real as law enforcement officers muscle shoplifting teens and deadbeat dads into the back of their electric low-polygon stainless steel land-speeders.
The cop-spec Cybertruck offers a number of enhancements to the consumer-grade truck, which I’ll quote from UP.FIT’s press release to give you the full rundown:
“The UP.FIT Cybertruck combines Tesla’s unparalleled electric vehicle technology with Unplugged Performance’s expertise in vehicle modification and adaptation to deliver a complete turn-key solution to meet the needs of police departments. It features the expected suite of warning lights, sirens, PA system, as well as upgraded radio and computer systems thanks to specialized wiring systems and proprietary integrations. UP.FIT Cybertruck can be customized for tactical, military or search and rescue missions with available prisoner partitions, storage for weapons and specialty tools, K9 enclosures, upgraded vehicle dynamics with specialized UP.FIT Forged wheel and tire packages, braking systems, and optional upgrades for extreme off-road usage, as well as Starlink internet connectivity. Law enforcement agencies and fleet operators will find the UP.FIT Cybertruck a key advancement in practical policing, offering officers the best tools to protect and serve communities effectively.”
The upgraded radio and computer systems and specialized wiring systems I’m curious about; is this referring to the special terminals (like the legendary SCMODS) that cop cars already have, or is this something new and different?
https://t.co/m8yvbWeZtS introduces the world’s first duty-ready Cybertruck. This Next-Gen Patrol vehicle, expands the capability of this new platform for tactical response, patrol and Fire response. The future has arrived, and it’s ready for anything. pic.twitter.com/sJHdGsipg5
— UP.FIT (@UpfitTesla) June 7, 2024
The promo pictures released by UP.FIT include the expected cop-car-with-all-the-cool-lights-on photos, and also a number of photos with military-like tactical gear casually and artfully draped in the interior:
That shot also shows the added control panel of pleasingly illuminated physical buttons, which makes me wonder: is the Cybertruck’s huge center-stack touchscreen employed to act as the cop terminal’s display? Adding another console with a separate display seems a bit absurd, considering what comes in the car already. So far, I’m not sure how this is working, though I believe there is a web browser in Tesla’s software, which could allow for cop-specific software to run in a browser and use some manner of StarLink internet connection. But I’m just guessing.
They’re really enjoying draping that helmet and vest on here.
Okay, okay, we get it, there’s hardcore tactical equipment! This is a big, scary, law-enforcing machine, got it.
The cop-spec Cybertruck has different wheels and tires than the consumer-grade one, too. These aren’t the rugged steelies seen on iconic cop cars like the Ford Crown Victoria, but are custom-forged wheels.
I’d be curious to see how the large bed area is utilized; is it all racks of tactical gear? Is it a dungeon for particularly uncooperative perps? Just open space? Nap area? Maybe they’ll release some pictures of that, too. Same goes for the frunk; what’s in there?
The cop Cybertrucks also seem to have at least a partial black wrap from the beltline down; it’s hard to see in this profile pic, which looks all black:
Those side lights are interesting, too. A three-quarter view here seems to show the upper stainless area more clearly:
I like those searchlights, too.
As I said, I’m not surprised to see police Cybertruck variants; the imposing look of these seems like it would appeal to police agencies, for better or worse. The tone of these is a lot less “protect and serve” and a lot more “pursue and subdue,” but I guess that’s the way the world is at the moment.
This is the most dick-in-hand, authoritarian bullshit I’ve had to give thought for awhile.
This is nothing more than flexing social status and intimidation.
The Cybertruck is a woeful vehicle, period. It has been heavily documented since it’s public launch how many shortfalls the design has and how unreliable the vehicle is. There’s no world in which someone sensibly deciding on a new vehicle for the Police Force, would look at a first year, experimental platform EV truck, with too many issues to even fit in its own bed as a useful and trustworthy choice.
This is for a class of people who should not be in law enforcement. The CT already seems to attract the worst customer base possible and now they want to flaunt it around for the worst pigs in the pen as well? This is going to end in two ways, one of these things getting heavily ridiculed, stuck somewhere after losing a suspect fleeing in a Geo Metro, or getting snapped sitting in the background of the header image of yet another article about police brutality.
How are these people so blind to the fact that the cyber-future police car they’re cosplaying as, features almost exclusively in distopian works of fiction where the cops are sometimes subtly, other times blatantly portrayed as the bad guys? This is a joke, the world is satire and the cop-spec Cybertruck is the new poster child.
My daughter saw a cybertruck going the other direction on the highway the other day and accidentally unlocked a 15-minute dad rant about what an abject failure it is as a design exercise, an engineering exercise, an automotive exercise, a manufacturing exercise, as a vehicle.
Wheel covers that fly off and chew up tires. Corroding, mismatched steel manufactured sharp enough to cut you. That stupid, hilarious, sad, stupid “bulletproof window” farce on stage all those years ago. The touchscreen shifter. The way they advertised that “in an accident, the cybertruck will win” like every thing that happens in traffic is a goddamn ground war. The lack of shared resources across the Tesla lineup, resulting in this low-poly fuckugly robot turd autoerotic billionaire fever dream sapping resources from better ideas.
When I told her about the steel ball predictably shattering the windows, she said “you’d think they’d have tested that before showing it off on stage.”
I couldn’t have said it any better myself…well done!
Fuck the cYbErJuNkTrUcK
But isn’t that a main demographic of applicants?
Not just that, but the target demographic for recruiting.
Yes, and yes, but I reiterate; it shouldn’t be.
There is no confusion about who this is targeted towards, but the question needs to be asked, why the fuck are we targeting product, lifestyles and ideologies towards these people instead of shutting them down. When you feed it, it grows, when you starve it, it dies.
I’m with you. My first realization that they were actively recruiting this mindset instead of just allowing it is when I applied to a sheriff’s office in 2006ish. They asked about my defensive tactics and martial arts experience and I said (what I still maintain is correct) that my verbal judo is more important than my martial arts. One of the interviewers got visibly angry and said that if I had seen meth use in my community, I should understand that you can’t talk to meth users. They no longer wanted to hire me and I no longer wanted to work there. You shouldn’t hire people into law enforcement who just want to beat the shit out of drug addicts, but that’s the person they are looking for.
And it’s at a lot more than that one. I’ve seen the people that get jobs in law enforcement and corrections these days. Worked with some of them while they were private security. The attitude of us vs them is a selling point in the interview.
I’m gonna reply to this one, but then I’m going to let this thread rest. I respect that the Autopian tries to focus on car culture without falling too deeply into politics and beliefs, but I’d also like to remind everyone that the argument of politics is supposed to be people arguing how they’d implement policies to help their people, not IF they should be helping their people. Basic human rights should not be politics.
I have a wealth more respect for social workers than I do law enforcement. Those people actually deal with the worst situations, people who are scared, confused, mentally unwell and unable to help themselves and they somehow manage to do this without EVER unloading a full clip into someone because they flinched. The systems are all rotten to the core, not just the US, but here in Aus we have a wealth of our own problems and elsewhere. It’s just shit to watch unfold and the last place I want to have to acknowledge it is within my interests and communities. I’m absolutely down for cool cop car tech and developments in that regard, but the Cybertruck Gravy Seal Edition doesn’t genuinely reflect any of that, and that’s why I had my piece to say, we need less of this in the world.
Can’t wait for the first ‘accidental’ death in custody due to execution by sharp door frame.
I’m just imagining all the ways dirty cops could abuse their powers in these. E.g., they could cut a suspect’s fingers by running them down the sharp corners lightly.
So do suspects get to sue both Tesla and their friendly local PD when they get a nasty cut across the carotid being dragged over the threshold into the backseat?
https://i.gifer.com/6bZx.gif
These are going to be awesome for two reasons: operating costs and fuel availability. Basically you’re looking at power and tires, with the occasional wiper blade change. Cheap. Meanwhile, I’ve lived in areas that have completely run out of gas. No gas. It’s not hard to get electricity back up, but a screwed pipeline is a major issue — and Torch, your gas comes up from Alabama in a pipeline. But I guess you have the ChangLi, so you’re good.
There’s something terrifying about how they lovingly drape the camo and armor everywhere in each scene.
Maybe police shouldn’t be marketed to like you’re doing a real-life Call of Duty.
And the blacked-out “ghost” graphics. Seems they lost the plot when it turned from “protect and serve” to “war on the evil bad guys.”
People love to flex their steroids.
First of all, we already got Ford Taurus cop cars, just a few decades later than we’d hoped. I’ve even seen them in matte finish paint jobs. I hope the police that drive them do their best to say things like “you’re coming with me.”
Second, law enforcement vehicles are usually hugely standardized to meet (to paraphrase Elwood) cop specs. Even down to things like how officers fit in them wearing all the usual gear.
I don’t imagine this is, so at best, it’s like buying a one-off vehicle for some unusual, non-sustainable purpose. Procurement officers who are on the hook for what governments buy tend to have problems with that sort of thing as it’s difficult to justify – “best value” it’s probably not.
Basically, yet another “tacticool” display vehicle to look intimidating at parades and D.A.R.E. presentations.
man those vibes are just the worst
Imposing isn’t a word I would use for the Cybertruck. I saw my second one on the road just a few minutes ago. The first one I saw prompted the phrase “featureless gray lump” to pop into my head, and this second time, “unfinished” was the descriptor that first came to mind.
The apex-mounted light bar really drives home the “kindergartener drawing his idea of a really cool police car” vibes.
how would they secure weapons in the truck. can you really call the rolly-uppy tonneau cover “safe” for weapons? It looks like they just painted it black, put wheels and tires on it and installed a RGB gaming keyboard on the console and called it a day.
I’m not going to echo others about this being a bad/silly/dumb purchase using tax dollars for police departments, as all those points are valid and I agree.
I will, however, say that I am a fan of a black wrap on the Cybertruck. I saw my third Cybertruck last week and it had a matte black wrap that helped it blend into the night so I could see less of it, and if the thing must exist, seeing less of it is a win in my book.
Would definitely not look out of place with an OCP logo on the side.
how to make the least trustworthy vehicle of all time even more sus: this
That lead image makes me want to put a “flesh” colored 80’s style bra on the thing.
I’ll admit my knowledge of bras is limited to how to remove them with my eyes closed, but what exactly makes a bra “80’s style”?
AFAIK just a regular car bra. I just haven’t seen them actually used since the 80’s
Here’s one that makes a Mini look like the face on a gimp suit.
https://api.calcarcover.com/data/default/images/catalog/1000/Turnkey/1/colgan3-769.jpg
Oh, *car* bra! The flesh colored thing threw me off. I have no experience removing one of those with my eyes closed.
That’s a pity.
To me, all car bras are from the ’80s or ’90s. I know they existed before then and no doubt there are still people buying them somewhere at this very moment, but to me, they started with rich guys and 911s and then made their way down the automotive food chain to my friend Chuck’s ’90 Pontiac Grand Am coupe.
But I actually do own one myself. I once drove my Porsche cross-country, so I own an actual Porsche one. I’ve used it exactly once. Every now and again, I take it out and look it and remember the ride.
I’ll bet that gets your Mini Cooper all hot and bothered, doesn’t it?
This is all very dystopian and whatnot, if admittedly the most appropriate imaginable use for the Cybertruck as I even figured it was inspired by authoritarian government vehicles in cyberpunk stories, but…
Is it wrong that I kinda dig those wheels? They’re a wonderfully simple, purposeful, and I would even say elegant design. You could put those on all kinds of vehicles and they would look good. They’re just the right amount of interesting, without being too flashy or gaudy like the vast majority of aftermarket truck wheels. They’d look great on something like a Ford Bronco or even a sports/muscle car. Heck if they offered a smaller version, I think they’d spice up economy cars pretty nicely too.
They’re good wheels, and they don’t scream authoritarian without the rest of the package. I suspect they don’t make them in house, so they might well be available elsewhere for other vehicles.
They do look good, especially with that wheel/tire ratio.
And maybe they don’t slice up the tires like the stock setup does.
Honestly, police agencies might be the best customers for these: ridiculously large budgets, plenty of idle time, a desire to look imposing, and likely don’t have an issue being associated with Elon Musk.
Chicago cops make $55K to start with, climbing to $82K annually after 18 months. It’s tough work, but it pays better than a lot of departments.
I’m sure this is just hyperbole, but beyond it being untrue, cops aren’t buying their own patrol vehicles.
While not every department has a huge budget, there are plenty that do. Some cities (not the majority) spend over 40% of their total annual budget on police. Many more spend over 25%. Considering this is marketed as a tactical vehicle (as opposed to a regular patrol vehicle), I would suspect that many agencies could find room in their budget for one of these for their SWAT team if they so choose. Of course, they can get surplus military equipment a lot cheaper (the 1033 program sends out APCs and other military vehicles to agencies that just have to pay shipping, but then have to maintain and fuel them, which can get very expensive), but it’s designed for warfare, not policing.
As far as pay, though, US cops have a higher median salary ($65,790) than the median US salary ($48,060).
Approving purchase of these for any publicly-funded police force should be immediate grounds for removal of any purchase approval authority, and probably dismissal for cause.
Seriously. The number of actually useful things that don’t fall apart you could spend these funds on instead is unreal.
Cyber truck or a f#ckton of guns. Maybe the truck is the better call.
or better yet, services that actually help people out instead of just punish
Where’s the fun in that?
who thought this was a good idea? beyond Idiocracy…
The frunk is clearly where you put perps you need to keep separate from perps in the cabin.
I guess it would technically have 3 holding cells? Bed (w/cover locked), rear seat, and frunk?
What an idiotic waste of public funds that would be.
That being said, I do think there is something to be said for police fleets switching to EVs or at least hybrids when a cost effective model is produced. I’d think without the need for much range, and the long idle periods cop cars would be a perfect use case for EVs that probably could pay for themselves over time.
It will be able to ford a class III puddle and climb over sticks up to 2.5″ (63.5mm) in diameter.
I wonder how they are powering that equipment given the electrical architecture of the Cybertruck.
Also, this is dumb.
Any police chief submitting a purchase order request for one of these should be summarily fired, then shot to keep them from being hired somewhere else.