Anaheim police roll out new Tesla patrol vehicles

The Anaheim Police Department will roll out its new fleet of Tesla patrol SUVs next Monday. 

"Due to our patrol vehicle shortage, we had to seek out alternative vehicle options, which led us to explore utilizing Teslas as police vehicles," Chief Rick Armendariz said. "We are enhancing public safety for Anaheim by getting patrol vehicles into service faster."  

The department attributed its lack of patrol cars to a combination of national supply chain issues, delivery delays, and an aging fleet. To fill the gap, Anaheim police decided to buy six Model Y's from Tesla and outfit them for patrol duty through a third-party. 

Police said they chose the Tesla SUV for its advanced features, such as rapid acceleration, ample storage capacity, affordability, and low maintenance requirements. The department said the features of the Model Y allow them to respond swiftly to calls and engage with the community. 

The company lists the Model Y for $37,490 after the federal tax credit, but it is unclear how much the six new vehicles will cost APD. Officer said they will closely watch the pilot program, monitoring the fleet's performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness.