Photo: Seven Days VT / Sasha Goldstein
Police departments across the U.S. have been adding Tesla’s electric vehicles (EVs), and one Vermont department is looking to use a new EV to bring in new recruits.
The Richmond, Vermont Police Department added a Tesla Model 3 cruiser to its fleet last year to save on gas and maintenance costs — and to hopefully lure in new officers, according to Seven Days Vermont.
In a memo to the town manager last year, Richmond Police Chief Kyle Kapitanski wrote, “Last, but not least, the Tesla is just a pretty cool car all the way around,” he wrote. “My belief is that some officers will be attracted to Richmond PD because we are willing to try out cutting edge technology and equipment.”
Ironically enough, Kapitanski has since departed to join the Shelburne Police Department, and the Richmond force still has one other vacant position.
Despite not attracting other officers yet, the Model 3 is estimated to have saved money on gas and maintenance, despite being more expensive upfront.
Ford Unveils F-150 Pro Lightning Electric Police Truck https://t.co/iuoTIsv00N
— TeslaNorth.com (@RealTeslaNorth) July 28, 2022
While Kapitanski’s hopes of bringing new faces to the force is still in progress, Town Manager Josh Arneson says that working toward net-zero carbon emissions is another reason the small town decided to buy the Model 3.
In a statement, Arneson said, “There’s a good number of people in Richmond that are really forward-thinking about climate and climate change and becoming as net-zero as possible.” Arneson continued, “So there was a large number of people that were really excited about the possibility of having such a vehicle here in Richmond for the police department.”
