California police department buys Cybertruck to keep kids off drugs

Sure?
 By 
Tim Marcin
 on 
a police cybertruck lit up at night.
Yes, there really is a police Cybertruck. Credit: Irvine Police Department / Facebook

Sure, Tesla's Cybertruck looks something a person using hallucinogens might imagine. But a police department in California is actually counting on it to keep kids off drugs — imagine that.

Irvine, a city of some 300,000 in Orange County, purchased a tricked-out Cybertruck for its police department. After the installation of emergency equipment, it ran the department a cool $153,175.03, NBC News reported.

If you ever find yourself in Irvine, don't worry about the Cybertruck pulling you over, however. The police department said it will mostly be used for its Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.


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Wrote the Irvine Police Department on Facebook:

"The Irvine Police Department (IPD) is excited to unveil what we believe is the first police Tesla Cybertruck in the nation. The truck will support our Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program and community outreach efforts. While the fully equipped vehicle won't be used as a patrol car, it can respond to emergencies and assist the community when needed. 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. IPD believes in the continual education of students and is one of only two DARE programs in the entire state."

The department also put out a flashy video showing off their new toy, complete with lightning bolt visual effects.

It's certainly...a choice...to purchase a Cybertruck for your DARE program. The Minecraft-esque truck has nearly too many recalls to count. It also has the potential to cut off your finger or simply fall apart.

The CEO of the company that makes it has apparently caused multiple crises within his company relating to his own alleged drug use. But apparently a DARE Cybertruck might help keep kids from abusing drugs themselves.

Topics Tesla Elon Musk

close-up of man's face
Tim Marcin
Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).

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