7 Jan 2nd-Jan 8th, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Robocop Car? What’s the deal with police Cybertruck spotted in Phoenix? BY TJ L’HEUREUX A ngular new wheels seen cruising the Valley’s streets are raising a question: What the hell is that police Cybertruck, and why was it here? The vehicle, which brings to mind a futuristic, autocratic military police state in a sci-fi movie, was one of three brought to town by UP.FIT, a company that refits and reengineers Teslas into police vehicles. In an Instagram post, the company said it was giving “hands-on demonstrations” of its Model Y and Cybertruck cop cars to Arizona law enforcement agencies from Dec. 15-18. While Ben Schaffer, president of UP.FIT’s parent company Unplugged Performance, told Phoenix New Times the company showcased its vehicles to “several law enforcement agencies in Arizona,” he did not respond to New Times’ question about which law enforcement agencies those were. “While the specifics of these meetings remain confidential, our overarching mission is to familiarize departments with the potential of our purpose-built electric platforms tailored specifically for police use,” Schaffer said in an email. The demonstrations, according to Schaffer, allow officers to test drive the vehicles and include a presentation on their key features. As outlined by Schaffer, those features are essentially the usual ones associated with electric vehicles, particularly Teslas: energy savings, low maintenance costs and safety. A spokesperson for Gilbert police said the department attended UP.FIT’s demon- stration, but that “no decisions have been made” about purchasing a vehicle. He added that the department “is currently in the early stages of assessing the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating elec- tric vehicles into our fleet, both as marked and unmarked units.” Spokespersons for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Department of Public Safety and the police departments for Scottsdale and Chandler said its agencies did not attend UP.FIT’s demonstration and have no plans to purchase a vehicle. A public information officer for Mesa police said it was checking whether the department attended. Police departments in Phoenix, Glendale and Tempe did not immediately respond to inquiries. Two months ago, the police department in Irvine, California, revealed it had purchased the first Cybertruck for police use in the United States, costing the department and taxpayers more than $153,000. However, the department said it wouldn’t use the vehicle for patrol, only for hyping up antidrug events at local schools. (Because, clearly, nothing says “don’t do drugs, kids” like a Cybertruck.) Irvine police claimed the Cybertruck is actually cost-advantageous; it noted the more common Ford Police Interceptor costs $116,000 and has an expected lifespan of three to four years, while the department expects the Cybertruck to be in use for 10 years. Schaffer did not say whether that particular Cybertruck was from UP.FIT’s fleet. But he did say that UP.FIT provided 20 new Teslas that South Pasadena purchased to make up its entire fleet of police vehicles. “Law enforcement agencies have continued to reorder vehicles from us, and our goal is to widen the experience with an increasing number of agencies,” Schaffer said. But why would a law enforcement force need one of these vehicles? Schaffer said Tesla vehicles lead the industry in crash safety ratings and thus are safer for officers — that is, we should note, as long as they aren’t exploding. Despite the high prices, Schaffer also argued the lower long-term expenses and energy costs associated with ownership will actually save money for agencies and taxpayers. Schaffer also noted the cars are perfect for high-speed chases. “Hands-on driving experiences vividly illustrate this advan- tage,” he said. So, if you get pulled over by a Cybertruck sometime in the not-too- distant, know it’s not Robocop. It’s just a normal officer whose department got a fancy new toy. A police Cybertruck was in the Valley recently for a demonstration for local law enforcement agencies. (Courtesy of UP.FIT) | NEWS |
