To drive a super luxury supercar in Greece, you must belong to one of three categories: either be among the few who can afford to buy one, work professionally or journalistically in car reporting and have the opportunity for a test drive, or be one of the few chosen at annual car shows for a road test.

In the United Arab Emirates, it’s enough to graduate from the State Police Academy.

Aston Martin Vantage

As informed by the website of the Dubai Police Academy, the most populous of the seven United Arab Emirates and the first to decide to create a fleet of police cars consisting of super luxury vehicles, it is not too difficult. One doesn’t even need to be a citizen of the country to achieve it. To attend the Academy, you need certified knowledge of English (even a lower certificate suffices), a valid passport, a secondary education diploma, and, of course, a driver’s license. A standard one, not a professional.

This openness of the Academy to foreign nationals is not out of inclusiveness but necessity. Native Emiratis make up only 20% of the 10 million population in this Persian Gulf federation. The vast majority are so wealthy or involved in such business activities that a career in the police doesn’t appeal to them, even with the availability of a Lamborghini Aventador or a Bugatti Veyron for patrols. Anyone who has traveled to Dubai cannot help but have admired such a police vehicle roaming the streets. According to surveys conducted by the Dubai police themselves, the presence of these cars has significantly boosted tourists’ trust in the police – over 80% consistently report in surveys that they “fully trust the police” – and has reduced traffic violations to a minimum!

From horses to supercars

In Dubai, there was initially the idea to impress tourists with the police presence, but in a different manner. The long-time head of Dubai’s police, Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, a horse enthusiast, had proposed (and succeeded) in having mounted police patrol the streets of Dubai. The morning parade of horses was impressive as they emerged from the official police stables to head to checkpoints. Naturally, the horses were very expensive, chosen personally by the chief, but it turned out that the horses couldn’t maintain good physical condition (since they were racehorses and stayed stationary for long hours), and their health continuously deteriorated due to constant exposure to the sun.

Brabus Mercedes

The change came in 2013. Then the police chief changed, and after 33 years at the helm, Tamim retired, and Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina took his place. One of his first decisions was to equip traffic patrols with super luxury cars, replacing the horses. And to avoid seeming completely rude, he allowed the flag to be carried in the famous “patrol parade” by horses. It’s necessary to clarify: Not all Dubai police use such cars. The fleet includes expensive cars, but much more “conventional” in both characteristics and price. The super luxury cars are used only for patrols on Dubai’s streets and at the city’s land entry/exit points. This is the only place where their speed matters, as they can develop it on the vast straights leading to other cities and villages of the emirate. Within the cities, these super luxury cars are “forced” to move almost at a crawl. When they move because most of the time, they are parked and simply attract tourists’ attention.

Bugatti Veyron

Bentley Continental GT V8

Dazzling Models Without exaggeration, the parking lot for these patrol cars is one of the most well-guarded places in Dubai. There, one can admire the entire fleet, consisting of at least 100 such cars. The models are dizzying even just by mentioning them: Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Aston Martin Vantage, Bentley Continental GT, BMW i8, Bugatti Veyron, Cadillac CT5, Dodge Viper, Jaguar F-Type, Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren MP4-12C, Maserati Gran Turismo, Lexus RC F, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Rolls Royce Wraith… The latest addition, just a few weeks ago, was three Tesla Cybertruck models. The legend accompanying these stories is that every week some of these cars travel to Abu Dhabi, the state capital, where there is a Formula 1 track. There, their drivers are free to… push the gas pedal as much as they want, given that these cars are built to run fast and not use first-second gear all the time. For a few days each month, the cars “unclog” on the track, and naturally, the lucky police officers who accompany them enjoy their capabilities behind the wheel.

The total expenditure for purchasing and maintaining this fleet cannot be calculated, but the rumors are dizzying. According to reports, the emirate has spent over $5.5 billion to equip its police with vehicles, but this number includes the purchase of all the police’s “conventional” cars, helicopters, and coast guard vessels.

Lamborghini Aventador

Tesla Cybertruck