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When Skydio , a young maker of drone in San Mateo , California , send a customer marriage offer in 2023 to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department , its chief of faculty , Mike Gennaro , forward the email to VC Ben Horowitz .
“ Which deployment are you see to do ? ” Horowitz publish back .
“ Whatever you want , Ben , ” Gennaro reply , agree to emails seen by TechCrunch .
Horowitz then institutionalise money to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department ’s ( LVMPD ) police foot to purchase Skydio drones for the section .
It was a profits - win , apparently . Skydio was capable to tout its kinship with the LVMPD , while the section received a new tool to fight crime . Ina blog postdetailing the partnership , Skydio praised the LVMPD ’s choice to adopt its X10 drone as being “ driven by the ambitious sight of making Las Vegas the safest community of interests in America . ”
They did not name Horowitz , despite the fact that the VC ’s relationship with the LVMPD runs deeper than just fund the Skydio drones .
The speculation capitalist has facilitated communicating between the LVMPD and at least six a16z portfolio fellowship . TechCrunch learn about this human relationship after receive over 100 email between Horowitz and the department , as well as internal police emails about his donations mainly between January 2023 and July 2024 , in a public records postulation .
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In total , the investor has donate at least $ 7.6 million to fund constabulary department purchases over the last few years , fit in to a Emily Price Post he published on a16z ’s blogin mid - Octoberafter learn about TechCrunch ’s reception of the public records . He and his married woman Felicia have also paid to exposit and amend the LVMPD ’s gym , according to the e-mail and his post .
Horowitz is n’t alone in this coming to supporting police force . romance donations to police foundations to cover the cost of specific equipment purchases is anincreasingly popular and controversial approachtaken by some of the largest section around the country .
Experts and exponent on police accountability and surveillance told TechCrunch that police foundations short-circuit the distinctive procural process that can include public meetings , a city - approve budget , and a potential bid period to give competition a chance .
“ It ’s horrifying from a just government linear perspective , from a non-profit-making [ and ] moral principle perspective , and just really has become such a major part of how refreshing police technologies are advertize and marketed , ” Albert Fox Cahn , founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project , say in an consultation .
Fox Cahn and others also say contribution can set up companies for on-going contract where taxpayers hoof the account . And they say it can pitch the playing field of honor . In Skydio ’s casing , the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department owned product from at least three other drone troupe before Horowitz ’s donation , a priorpublic book requestrevealed .
Horowitz argued in his post that the public sphere often has “ fuss budgeting ” for new strategic technology , so “ by donate the technology , I am capable to give LVMPD a linear start . ”
His approach was praised by David Ulevitch , a general partner at a16z , which backed Skydio . “ What@bhorowitzand Felicia have done in Vegas is a masterclass in philanthropy and impact,”Ulevitch wrote . “ I trust it catch on in cities across America as a model to bring great technology to public safety and bootstrap the process . ”
TechCrunch asked Horowitz for an audience and mail a listing of questions for this fib , but he did not react . Andreessen Horowitz interpreter Grace Ellis declined to answer the interrogative sentence , and say there was “ nothing more for Ben to deal beyond hisblog post . ” An unnamed example of the LVMPD ’s public information office said the department “ is grateful to the private citizens who supply funding for various projects throughout the department , ” and declined to answer further questions .
Paying for Prepared911, Flock Safety and more
For Horowitz ’s married woman Felicia , California in 2020 was beginning to look too much like her past . The two had lived in the affluent Bay Area town of Atherton , California , for twelvemonth . But Felicia had grow up outdoors of Los Angeles , in Compton and Carson , California , where she “ saw many of her friends murder , ” Horowitz saidin his blog post .
Between Prop . 47 , a 2014 California insurance policy that reclassify some felony as misdemeanors , and politicians’short - lived pledgesto gash police budgets , Felicia felt she was look out her home state deteriorate in real time . “ The new policies — defund the constabulary , do n’t prosecute crime — are destroying the communities where I spring up up , ” she was quote say inThe Wall Street Journal . “ If you want to genocide bleak the great unwashed , the California insurance policy are a great design . ”
Felicia want out of California and Horowitz was intrigue by Las Vegas . The city , he distinguish aSubstack publication , promised “ the Raiders , awing eatery , and man class entertainment . ”
Horowitz purchase his Las Vegas mansion house , and his business partner , Marc Andreessen , reportedly bought a $ 36 million vacantplot nine minutes down the road . By early 2023 , the electronic mail show Horowitz had begun making personal proposition about products to the police section and was soon writing halt . The duo donated $ 800,000 for new computer terminals and $ 120,000 for the gymnasium , toss in money for new water ice and cappuccino machines , he wrote in his post .
He also started connecting Vegas police with a16z portfolio companies . In improver to Skydio , he donated $ 400,000 for the police department to acquire technology from Prepared , an a16z companythat use AI to aid with 911 calls , and an unspecified amount for surveillance camera from Flock Safety , another a16z ship’s company . Horowitz also localise up introductions for secure communications startup Kodex , and Earnin ’ , which help employee access their pay before payday , the emails show .
The LVMPD did n’t just blindly take his donated technology , though , agree to the emails .
Horowitz told Gennaro in an August 2023 email that he would make a contribution for the department to win applied science from Toka , an a16z - backed cybersecurity troupe . But law leadership had concerns . The inauguration was slow to provide pricing info and there were questions about whether Toka ’s engineering would work well with some of LVMPD ’s camera , accord to the emails .
LVMPD leadership wanted their internal business and engineering science governance board to review the technical school before even receiving a Toka demo and warn there might be a “ lengthy ” headway approval process .
While it is not clear why , a deal was never make out : A spokesperson for Toka told TechCrunch that LVMPD “ has never been a customer or substance abuser of our product . ”
How Horowitz guided the Skydio deal
The Skydio deal was n’t straightforward either . Horowitz had donate the money for the LVMPD to bribe Skydio drones before 2023 , according to electronic mail viewed by TechCrunch . antecedently , the police force possess a smattering of X2 Skydio monotone , issued from 2020 to 2022 , as well as drones from companies Autel , Brinc , and Skyfront , according to a premature public records petition .
In a 2023 electronic mail to chief of stave Gennaro , Brad Cupp , then - Las Vegas law sergeant-at-law , reflected on the X2 Skydio trailer . He wrote that they usher a “ wonderful amount of promise , ” but “ fell forgetful of what we needed operationally . ”
In the same email , Cupp wrote that the Skydio squad had listened to LVMPD ’s feedback , create a new droning that “ has the potential to truly be a game changer , ” he wrote . “ I ’m hoping you will be able to assist upgrade all or part of our fleet of Skydios . ”
Gennaro forward the message to Horowitz , ask for assist . A few months by and by , Skydio formally announced their new dawdler , the X10 , and sent over a proposition to LVMPD for drones and lagger bob — a landing pad for drone stationed throughout the metropolis — in hopes that Horowitz would donate the equipment to the police force .
This potential deal took on a newfound grandness after the companystopped selling consumerdrones that twelvemonth , betting its future on governance , defence , and law enforcement . This meant all of their stock-taking would have to meet a higher standard : police drone ordinarily need longer battery lives and adept cameras , as well as additional technology like caloric sensors .
It was an expensive bet . According to a 2024 pitch pack of cards prepare by Skydio investor Linse Capital that was consider by TechCrunch , the pilotless aircraft company forecasted that it could combust through at least $ 238 million by 2029 , based on factor like increase manufacturing and expansion into new industries and geographies . Linse Capital was more pessimistic about Skydio ’s want , according to the deck . It count on Skydio could cover through at least $ 348 million in the next five eld on its agency to gainfulness . A Skydio representative say that these figures are not in any Skydio pitch pack of cards and that the firm can not formalize them . Linse Capital declined to comment .
Horowitz , however , express surprise at the large orbit of Skydio ’s marriage offer to the LVMPD , especially its suggestion to put dock on schools , according to the e-mail .
“ I think that we just need this for the 11 neck of the woods , ” Horowitz emailed Gennaro , the “ we ” referring to the police department and himself , as the one hoof the bill . “ They offer the schools too . Is that what we ask for ? ”
Gennaro explain that more monotone were necessary in higher - crime neighborhoods , though much of the email was redacted , including his reception to frame docks on schools . Gennaro terminate the electronic mail by deferring to his donor ’s judgment .
“ We can adjust however you see fit , ” he wrote . An unidentified example of the LVMPD ’s public information office said that no drone dock have presently been installed in LVMPD ’s jurisdiction .
Three month later , when Horowitz cant over Gennaro on another a16z portfolio fellowship , Kodex , he included a caveat : “ If it ’s a honest idea , I am happy to help , but get ’s not let the party know that , ” Horowitz emailed . “ We do n’t need another Skyd.io proposal lol . ”
Stacy Wang , Kodex ’s principal of marketing , say the company had no knowledge of Horowitz funding the LVMPD ’s attainment of a16z portfolio companies ’ product . She severalise TechCrunch that Kodex is “ free to expend ” for all law enforcement agencies .
Horowitz ’s increased law of proximity to the LVMPD has had other ripple effects for the caller he ’s endow in . Around the same time that Skydiopublicized its partnershipwith the LVMPD , Sergeant Cupp , who had evangelized the company ’s drones internally , left the department for a new gig , agree to his LinkedIn visibility : Program manager at Skydio .
“You are going to get caught”
Andreessen Horowitz held its 2023 LP Summit — an event for the people who invest in the business firm ’s funds — in Las Vegas . The city ’s sheriff , Kevin McMahill , donning his law uniform , sat onstagebetween Flock Safety founder Garrett Langley and a16z ’s Ulevitch . McMahill could n’t hold up back his hilarity as he spoke about using a16z - backed technology .
“ Every piece of that engineering science is the equivalent of three police officers , ” hesaidof Flock ’s products , adding : “ Bad guys make out that when you occur to Las Vegas , because of our power — technology being at the forefront of it — you are going to get capture . ”
McMahill also brag LVMPD ’s commitment to transparency during the lecture . But he did n’t refer the opaque instrument the department used to acquire these technologies : law foundations .
These substructure are often set up as revenue enhancement - nontaxable nonprofits , and give individual citizens and corporations a style to donate money that can be used to buy things for police departments . Their use has exploded in late years , with police force foundation in major metropolis like New York , Los Angeles , St. Louis , and Atlanta generate millions of dollars in annual gross .
Evan Feeney , elderly director of crusade and organize at Color Of Change , a non-profit-making civil right advocacy organization that haspublished research on police force groundwork , called them a “ legal loophole ” in an interview with TechCrunch . “ billionaire should not be allowed to buy approach and influence with law enforcement , ” he state .
Transparency , or lack of it , is a primary business advocates like Feeney have with the use of police foundations .
To wit , Horowitz used his personal foundation to donate $ 2 million to the Las Vegas law cornerstone in 2023 . But his foundation ’s taxation filing vaguely name the “ purpose ” of the contribution as “ backup of police force . ”
The Las Vegas police substructure , meanwhile , does n’t publish a full summation of its donors . And while it assert awebsitethat lists some of the programs it fund , it does not mention the a16z companies , nor does it say how much money lead to any one try .
What little they do let out lags behind the tangible - world deployment . The most late public filings for either foundation only cover activity through as late as June 2023 .
“ Welcome to the wonderful , dystopian land of Police Foundations , ” Fox Cahn , the surveillance advocate , said .
Fox Cahn added that , often , the donations can go down up company for lucrative ongoing contract with the police force out , sidestepping competition . After an initial contribution , “ they can then attempt to both sell the [ police ] on a conform to - up contract bridge but also then expend the fact that [ police force ] are deploying a technology for advertising , ” he said .
“ It becomes really just impossible for voter — for the public – to hold people accountable , ” he said .
Horowitz has warrant his involvement with the LVMPD by channelise to dropping crime rates in the urban center — which he says is happening thanks , in part , to his donations . In his station , he claimed that 911 calls are being answered quicker and that , thanks to Flock Safety , 17 % more defendant are being get .
But Horowitz did not say in the situation where he got these statistics , and he reject to answer when TechCrunch ask . The LVMPD referred TechCrunch to itspublic crime statistic , which do not describe up with Horowitz ’s figures .
Sheriff McMahill is a worshiper . At the LP Summit , he recalled a shooting where all they knew was there were two cars with multiple weapons firing off . The case seemed hopeless until he used Flock Safety technology , which include gunshot detection and license home recognition software , which was able-bodied to give them more information on the scenery and help them to get the shooters .
“ This applied science is changing the biz , ” McMahill declared to the crowd of a16z investors . “ We are give-up the ghost to get to a home at some point where it becomes insufferable to pull a offense . ”
