Starbase Taps County Deputies as De Facto Police Force

[chainsniff]

Starbase — the newly incorporated city surrounding SpaceX’s South Texas rocket site — now has formal law enforcement. Beginning this week, Cameron County sheriff’s deputies will serve as the city’s de facto police force under two interlocal agreements approved in September.

The deals dedicate eight deputies to Starbase (two per shift) and send anyone arrested within city limits to Cameron County jails at $100 per inmate per day. The city can also pay for extra security during “special events” like rocket launches. The arrangement lets Starbase stand up a criminal justice system overnight without building one from scratch.