Starbase, the SpaceX Company Town, Establishes Its Own Police Department
Starbase, the company town that Elon Musk’s SpaceX created in South Texas, is taking matters into its own hands by forming its own police squad. The city’s commission recently approved an ordinance during a special meeting that paves the way for the creation of a municipal police department. This department, subject to approval from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), will be led by a chief of police elected by the city’s commission and is expected to hire eight officers, as reported by local news outlet Valley Central. The department is anticipated to be operational within a few months.
City administrator Kent Myers emphasized the importance of protecting the assets within Starbase, particularly those related to the operations of SpaceX. He stated, “There is a lot of assets here with the operations of SpaceX. Those assets need to be protected, and so the police department will play a critical part in protecting those assets.”
While it is uncertain whether Starbase has submitted its application to the TCOLE, reports suggest that the city has enlisted the services of security consulting firm Vision Quest Solutions to establish the police department.
The Significance of Starbase
Starbase serves as the location where SpaceX develops and tests its prototype Starship rocket. Although the city is small, with only a few hundred residents who are predominantly SpaceX employees or their families, it is situated in a geographically isolated area. The nearest town, Brownsville, is approximately 10 miles away, making it essential for Starbase to have its own law enforcement agency.
Since its incorporation as a city last year, Starbase has progressively expanded its public services. In October, a group of SpaceX employees residing in Starbase initiated a volunteer fire department. Additionally, the city established a fire marshal position and took responsibility for its own building inspections and permitting around the same period.
Past Law Enforcement Efforts
Prior to creating its own police department, Starbase attempted to address law enforcement needs by contracting with the Cameron County sheriff’s office. The city entered into a $3.5 million, five-year agreement with the sheriff’s office, which was intended to provide two deputies patrolling the city at a time, with a total of eight deputies assigned to the detail. Furthermore, Starbase reached an agreement with the sheriff’s office to utilize the county’s jail, agreeing to pay $100 per day per inmate and cover additional expenses such as medical care.
However, the arrangement with the sheriff’s office encountered challenges. Myers explained, “We didn’t have a lot of success in finding deputies through the county, so we decided to change direction.” This decision was influenced in part by the lack of civil service protections in the contract, as noted by Sheriff Manuel Treviño.
