Police buy pricey cybertruck to … keep kids off drugs?

Topline: Advertising campaigns and strict regulations may be effective ways to teach kids to say no to drugs. The City of Irvine, California has a new, highly questionable strategy: spending $153,000 on a Tesla Cybertruck.

Key facts: The Cybertruck itself cost over $132,000, according to public records obtained by Forbes. The police then spent $21,000 to add rifle mounts under the seats, custom engravings, flashing lights, computers and more.

The costs would be frivolous under any circumstance, but they’re especially alarming given that the Cybertruck won’t be used for police patrols. The car will be used as an attention-grabber during Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) events at local schools.

“It’s an opportunity for [kids] to say, ‘Oh, man, that’s a Cybertruck. I’ve never seen one of those. I want to talk to that officer,’” Kyle Oldoerp, a spokesman for the Irvine Police Department, told The Washington Post. “Our hope is that community interaction.”

Typical police cars in Irvine cost $116,000 and last three to four years, according to the Post. Oldoerp said the Cybertruck will last longer and save “thousands of dollars” in gas money. Those savings would have been more easily obtained by not buying the truck.

Taxpayers can see their money at work in the promotional video released by the Irvine PD, complete with glamor shots and the theme song from “The Terminator.” The smoke effects and neon lights are sure to discourage would-be drug users.

Search all federal, state and local government salaries and vendor spending with the AI search bot, Benjamin, at OpenTheBooks.com. 

Critical quote: The police department initially refused to tell reporters how much the Cybertruck cost. Once Forbes and the LA Times submitted open records requests, Public Safety Director Jade Mazzio told her coworkers, “We knew that was coming” in a text message obtained through the request.

Another text message revealed a city employee calling the truck “absurd.”

Background: Irvine’s police department should not be wasting money when its staff is already dominating the payroll.

Of the 100 highest-paid city workers in Irvine last year, 74 worked at the police department, according to OpenTheBooks.com. Chief of Police Michael Kent earned over $390,000. There were only 22 people with the job title “police officer” who did not earn six figures.

Summary: If Elon Musk ever ends up leading his proposed “government efficiency commission,” he can start by telling public officials to refrain from buying luxury cars from his company.

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