Hint: its “cool factor” was a key consideration.
You Wouldn’t DARE
Ever rationalize your way to justifying a big, stupid purchase you definitely didn’t need?
Well, you’re not alone. Behold this tricked-out Tesla Cybertruck unveiled by a Southern California police department this week, which is overwhelmingly being hailed as a total waste of money.
In a social media post that includes a tacky promotional video — set to a rendition of the “Terminator 2” theme, no less — the Irvine Police Department claims that its flashy new Tesla won’t be used to do real cop stuff, i.e. be a patrol car. (It can supposedly respond to emergencies on an “as needed” basis, where we expect it will prove as useful as that one Cybertruck “ambulance.”)
Instead, the custom Cybertruck will be deployed to schools as part of the local Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program. The cost of this purported teaching tool? $153,175.03, according to a department fact sheet distributed to the media, per NBC News.
“For over three decades, our DARE officers have driven attention-grabbing and one-of-a-kind vehicles that never fail to turn heads and excite students,” the IPD said in a Facebook post.
Ingenious Investment
The amount that the cops spent on the Cybertruck — technically a high-performance model called the “Cyberbeast” — is about $21,000 more than what it costs straight from the factory. The remainder was spent on adding emergency equipment, the police livery, and other add-ons.
Blowing this much money is okay, though, because as the IPD argues in its fact sheet, $150,000 isn’t that much money for a cop car. The commonly used Ford Police Interceptor costs $116,000, it notes, with an expected life of three to four years. With the Cybertruck, the department expects it to last ten years.
Where the IPD conjured up that number from is a complete mystery, since the Tesla pickup isn’t exactly famed for its reliability. On the other hand, if it’s basically going to be used as a glorified showpiece, maybe a decade of service could still be in the cards.
But there’s supposedly more to it. The department expects the Tesla to save it money in the long run by not having to buy gas, along with its longer shelf life, sergeant Karie Davies told local broadcaster KTLA 5. The IPD had to replace its old DARE vehicle anyway, and wanted the Cybertruck for its “cool factor” at community events.
See? They practically had to get this car.
Shiny New Toy
Not everyone’s buying the community outreach angle. Bennett Capers, a professor at Fordham Law School in Manhattan, says that this use of taxpayer money feels like “boys wanting a toy” more than anything.
“If you want to encourage youth, you could do things that would help youth, like go to playgrounds and play football and basketball with kids,” Capers told KLTA 5. “That seems more likely to help them than a Cybertruck.”
Of course, if the goal is to teach kids that drugs are bad, maybe the Cybertruck isn’t such a silly choice after all. What else could explain what was going through Elon Musk’s mind when he released this behemoth?
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