It's official: a Cybertruck is about to make its debut as a police vehicle.
Irvine police announced Tuesday that the department plans to add a Cybertruck to its patrol fleet in the southern Orange County city, making it one of the first (if not the first) police departments in the country to use the eye-catching all-electric Cybertruck.
“Coming soon to Irvine,” the department posted on X, along with a photo of a Tesla Cybertruck equipped with sleek red and blue lights on the roof and front of the vehicle.
But don't expect to see the angular electric car involved in any high-speed chases.
The truck, which starts at just over $60,000, will be used exclusively for community outreach activities, said Sgt. Karie Davis, a spokeswoman for the Irvine Police Department.
“This is not a patrol car,” he said in an email. “It will be used for community relations.”
Irvine Councilwoman Tammy Kim said the city took possession of the vehicle this month. The Cybertruck was obtained as a replacement for another police vehicle in the department's fleet, Kim said.
“It’s a fun thing to get out there, to capture the attention and imagination of the community,” Kim said. “Plus, it’s something that gets people talking about public safety and the police department as an example of Irvine’s sustainability goals.”
In 2021, the city adopted a plan to reduce emissions, with reduction targets set for 2030, 2035 and 2045. Part of those plans, Kim said, is transitioning city vehicles, including police cars, to electric vehicles.
Last year, the city received $990,000 from the state for Irvine police to purchase electric vehicles to patrol the Great Park, a former Navy air station converted for recreational use. The police department currently has two Ford Lightning electric vans assigned to the park.
But electric patrol vehicles have proven more challenging for police departments because the vehicle must continuously operate a number of systems while on patrol, Kim said.
Anaheim Police have recently added Tesla Model Y vehicles to their department. South Pasadena Police have also acquired Tesla vehicles.
But Cybertrucks, which are touted as having dent-resistant doors and off-road capability, have recently caught the attention of other police departments as a possible option.
In May, California-based company UP.FIT released images of a modified Cybertruck that it said was equipped with ballistic protection, Starlink internet access and off-road capability.
Earlier this month, 404 Media reported that Anaheim police were in contact with the company and were interested in making Anaheim the first US city with a Cybertruck.
“I spoke to the chief yesterday and we still want to be the first police agency to have a Cybertruck,” Anaheim Police Sergeant Jacob Gallacher wrote to UP.FIT, as reported by 404 Media. “If anyone can make that happen, I know it’s you!”
That title could now belong to the Irvine police.
Kim said she wasn't sure if Irvine, which holds the unofficial title of America's safest city of its size according to FBI violent crime statistics, is the first city to own the electric truck. But she said she's excited to have the vehicle to engage the community.
“This shows that our Irvine Police Department is thinking outside the box and we’re being a little creative in how we reach out to the community,” he said.
It's unclear how much the vehicle cost the city, which spends about 42.2% of its total $263.4 million budget in 2024-25 on public safety.
Police officials said a debut date has not yet been set for the department's Cybertruck and there are no plans for now to purchase a second one.
When asked about the cost, Irvine police directed a reporter to file a public records request.
