A Tesla owner is going viral on TikTok after she alleged that police officers are asking to use her car to do their dirty work.
Lauren (@notshaqlauren), a Dallas/Fort Worth-area content creator, said she’s been repeatedly approached by police officers. She said they visit her home and ask her to use her car’s cameras.
“No one tells you when you get a Tesla that you’re basically going to work part-time for the police department,” she said in a recent clip. As of Tuesday, Lauren’s video amassed more than 506,200 views.
“This is the ninth time that cops have come to my door,” she added.
Lauren alleged that police have asked to view her Tesla’s footage to look into ongoing crimes. It’s unclear whether she’s ever helped them or why they repeatedly came to her door to ask for help.
How can Teslas help police officers?
As one commenter on Lauren’s video noted, Teslas have what’s called “Sentry Mode.”
“They assume we all use sentry mode,” the woman wrote.
What is this?
According to Tesla’s website, Sentry Mode is a security feature that uses the car’s cameras and sensors to monitor activity around the car. This works even if you’re not actively driving it. This is meant to detect suspicious activity and alert the owner of potential theft or vandalism happening while their car is parked and locked.
In other words, putting your car in this mode acts as a sort of surveillance system for your vehicle.
It would make some sense that police officers ask Tesla owners for help, then. Its website said that Sentry Mode is disabled by default. Tesla owners can use voice commands—such as “keep Tesla safe,” “Sentry on,” or “enable Sentry”—to turn it on.
That said, it also makes sense that Tesla owners wouldn’t keep Sentry Mode on indefinitely. Putting your vehicle in this mode requires at least 20% battery charge. Additionally, your power consumption may increase while Sentry Mode is active, according to Tesla’s website.
Tesla owners say it’s common for cops to ask for help
Police officers are now using Tesla’s Sentry Mode to help them solve crimes. They access video footage recorded by the car’s cameras.
According to Teslarati, officers in Oakland, Calif., are using Sentry Mode to solve everything from vandalism cases to catching fugitives.
One of the first instances of the Oakland PD using civilian Tesla recordings was in a hotel parking lot, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The outlet noted that a Canadian tourist found officers trying to take his vehicle. It was believed that it might have recorded a homicide.
Sadly, if you drive a Tesla, you may not have much of a say in whether local police departments get access to your car’s footage. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that some officers are resorting to obtaining warrants. This helps them tow the cars to ensure they don’t lose the video.
@notshaqlauren Call me officer Shaq #police #tesla ♬ original sound – SHAQ LAUREN
Viewers express shock at law enforcement’s request
In the comments section of Lauren’s video, other Tesla drivers said she’s not alone.
“They woke up [the]whole family at 2a.m.,” one woman said of her encounter with local police. “Knocking on the door so loud!!!!!”
“Lol they came to my door to look at footage from my Ring camera,” another shared.
Some others questioned why police would visit Lauren 9 times—especially if she’s said no more than once.
“You live in Gotham?” one user quipped.
“Was Sentry Mode activated all 9 times?! Or did they just think Teslas record 24/7,” another asked.
“The real issue is that it has happened nine times?!?!? Maybe time to move!?!?” a third user suggested.
And then there were the commenters who suggested that Lauren should put the onus on police officers to get a warrant for the Tesla’s footage.
“Tell them they need a warrant to release the footage,” one man advised. “They will try [to] argue and trick you. Don’t fall for it. They need a warrant period.”
“I’d either charge em or tell em [to] leave me alone,” another wrote.
“I’d be like straight up, no, do you have a warrant?” a third user said.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lauren via TikTok comment and to Tesla through email.
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