In a bold move, Elon Musk's SpaceX is establishing its very own police department in the company town of Starbase, located in South Texas. This development has sparked significant interest and discussion among local residents and the broader community.
During a special meeting held on Tuesday, the city commission gave its approval for an ordinance to set up a municipal police force, pending the go-ahead from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). According to reports from local media outlet Valley Central, the new police department will be managed by a chief of police who will be elected by the city commission, and plans are in place to hire eight police officers to staff the department. The goal is to have this department operational within a few months.
Kent Myers, the city administrator for Starbase, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "There are many assets involved in the operations of SpaceX that need protection, and the police department will play a vital role in safeguarding them."
As of now, it is unclear if Starbase has submitted its application to TCOLE, and both the city and TCOLE have not responded to inquiries seeking clarification. Reports indicate that Starbase has engaged the services of Vision Quest Solutions, a security consulting firm, to assist in the establishment of the police department.
Starbase is not just a mere dot on the map; it is where SpaceX manufactures and tests its prototype Starship rocket. Despite its small size—housing only a few hundred residents, predominantly SpaceX employees and their families—it is geographically isolated, with the nearest town, Brownsville, situated around 10 miles away. However, reaching Brownsville can take 45 minutes or more due to traffic and road conditions.
The creation of a police department marks yet another step in enhancing public services in Starbase, which became an incorporated city just last year. In October, some SpaceX employees residing in Starbase took the initiative to form a volunteer fire department. Around the same period, the city also established a fire marshal position and began managing building inspections and permitting processes independently.
Initially, Starbase attempted to address law enforcement needs by contracting with the Cameron County sheriff’s office. They entered into a $3.5 million agreement for five years, which aimed to have two deputies patrol the city at any given time, with a total of eight deputies assigned to the area.
Furthermore, Starbase had an arrangement with the sheriff’s office for jail services, agreeing to pay $100 daily for each inmate and cover additional costs like medical care. However, this partnership has faced challenges. Myers noted, "We didn’t have much success in finding deputies through the county, so we decided to change direction." This decision was influenced partly by the absence of civil service protections within the contract, as highlighted by Sheriff Manuel Treviño.
Sean O’Kane, a reporter with a decade of experience covering the rapidly changing landscape of the transportation industry, including notable companies like Tesla and various startups linked to Elon Musk, authored this report. Previously, he worked for Bloomberg News, where he was instrumental in uncovering stories about some high-profile electric vehicle SPAC failures. He also spent time at The Verge, focusing on consumer technology while engaging in video production and photography.
To connect with Sean or verify outreach efforts, you can email him at sean.okane@techcrunch.com or send an encrypted message via Signal at okane.01.
