The future of law enforcement has arrived in Murphy, Texas, and it looks a lot sleeker than the standard cruiser. UP.FIT, the specialized fleet division of Unplugged Performance, officially delivered two 2026 Tesla Model Y Police Patrol Vehicles to the Murphy Police Department this week—marking what appears to be the first global deployment of the “Juniper” refresh for frontline police duty.
The 2026 Model Y represents a total evolution of the world’s best-selling SUV. For the officers in Murphy, this means more than just a new look. The 2026 refresh includes a redesigned front fascia with a full-width light bar, a more aerodynamic profile, and a significant boost in interior material quality.
More importantly for patrol duty, the 2026 models feature dramatically improved sound insulation and a revised suspension system. These updates provide a much quieter and more comfortable environment for officers who spend up to 10 hours a day inside their mobile offices.
While other departments like South Pasadena have transitioned to earlier iterations of the Model Y, Murphy looks to be the first to field the 2026 Juniper models. These units inherit the latest technology from the 2024 Model 3 refresh, including the rear passenger screen (useful for specialized transport) and the wraparound ambient lighting, which UP.FIT has likely customized for tactical use.
“Welcome to the future,” UP.FIT stated in their announcement, noting that these vehicles are “engineered from the ground up” based on feedback from hundreds of law enforcement agencies.
Four months ago, Ben Schaffer, founder and CEO of Unplugged Performance, announced, “The world’s first 2026 Model Y patrol vehicles are now ready to start shipping. We’ve engineered over a hundred UP.FIT components to transform Tesla Cybertrucks, Model 3s and Model Ys into purpose-built law enforcement vehicles.”
It’s definitely pretty cool seeing the latest Model Y decked out for police work.
