SpaceX’s Starbase moves forward with plans for its own police force

SpaceX’s company town of Starbase is moving ahead with plans to establish its own municipal police department, city officials confirmed. The Starbase city commission approved the creation of the force during a meeting on February 3, though the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) must still approve the plan.

Starbase, located in South Texas, serves as the hub for SpaceX’s Starship rocket testing. The town is home to only a few hundred residents, most of whom are SpaceX employees and their families, and is relatively isolated, with the nearest town, Brownsville, about a 45-minute drive away, Euronews writes. 

Kent Myers, Starbase’s city administrator, told TechCrunch that the move is largely motivated by the need to protect “a lot of assets” associated with SpaceX’s operations, adding that the police department “will play a critical part in protecting those assets.”

The new force will be led by a chief of police, appointed by the Starbase commission, and is expected to initially hire around eight officers. Officials say the department could become operational within a few months.

Starbase has also reportedly enlisted security consulting firm Vision Quest Solutions to assist with the department’s setup. It remains unclear whether TCOLE has formally received the city’s application.

Previously, Starbase had tried to partner with the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services under a five-year, $3.5 million contract.

The agreement would have provided two deputies on patrol at a time, with eight deputies in total available, and included access to the county’s prison at a daily rate of $100 per inmate, plus additional costs. The deal ultimately fell through due to concerns over civil service protections.

In addition to the proposed police force, Starbase maintains a volunteer fire department, staffed by SpaceX employees, which operates under a fire marshal and oversees its own permitting and building inspections.

By Sabina Mammadli