California police struggle with ELECTRIC police cars

10/22/2024 / By Ramon Tomey

Several police departments in California have admitted that their “green” police cars are impeding their law enforcement tasks.

For the uninitiated, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law mandating that all vehicles in the Golden State be zero-emissions by 2035. Included in the mandate are police cars, with one city launching its all-electric fleet in July.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that the South Pasadena Police Department (SPPD) has replaced its gas-powered police cruisers with Tesla EVs. City officials added that the Teslas will use new EV chargers installed at the city hall. According to AP, the move sought to “help protect public health and fight climate change through reducing emissions.”

“We will have a 21st century police force that is safe, clean and saves taxpayer dollars,” South Pasadena Mayor Evelyn Zneimer said in a press release. Under the program, the SPPD will have 10 Tesla Model Y EVs for patrol cruises and 10 Tesla Model 3 EVs for detective and administrative duties. Both models will be customized for police use, the news outlet added.

Several police departments followed suit, with the Ukiah Police Department (UPD) purchasing two modified Tesla Model 3s for $150,000 and the Irvine Police Department (IPD) buying a Tesla Cybertruck for the same amount.

However, UPD officers faced difficulties with the EVs purchased by the department. According to UPD Chief Cedric Crook, there were issues with charger availability and the vehicle’s size meant only one prisoner could be transported. “I’m not ready to put an officer in a Tesla,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

IPD officers also found the EVs difficult. But the reason why the Cybertruck was purchased superseded any complaints about its maneuverability, as the EV was bought ostensibly “to turn head in anti-drug programs,” according to the New York Post.

Tesla isn’t the right answer

Meanwhile, the Menlo Park Police Department (MPPD) bought three Tesla Model Y Cars for about $50,000 per vehicle. But MPPD Chief David Norris has clarified that these are not the “patrol cars of the future.” (Related: The future of electric cars is not the future California thinks it is.)

Authorities in Menlo Park, where Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Platforms is headquartered, claimed in a report that MPPD officers “appreciated the acceleration, steering and vehicle speed” of the police EVs. However, the report mentioned that “there are issues offroading due to the autopilot safety not letting the police ride on curbs when needed.” The cars’ size also leads to practical issues like officers’ belts and bulletproof vests jutting onto the passenger seat.

“The equipment overhangs the passenger seat, making it nearly unusable. [While] this is not an immediate issue as the current patrol operations do not deploy two officers in every vehicle, [it] would limit the ability to transport personnel or change operations in the future.”

In particular, the passenger seat space would not allow training officers to comfortably sit next to a trainee for a 12-hour shift. The rear seats also provide very little room.

According to the Daily Express, the UPD and MPPD have also tried alternative options. Both cities have stressed that they are committed to meeting the Golden State’s environmental goals.

While the abovementioned police departments opted for Tesla EVs, the Fort Bragg Police Department (FBPD) went against the grain. It instead bought five electric Ford F-150 Lightning electric trucks, charging these at a parking lot filled with chargers.

FBPD Chief Neil Cervenka reported better results with his department’s choice of Ford trucks. “Tesla isn’t the right answer in the law enforcement market currently for electric adoption, but there might be better options,” he told the Chronicle.

Head over to FlyingCars.news for more stories about EVs.

Watch this video about why EVs cost more to run that internal combustion engine vehicles.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.