SAN FRANCISCO—On July 25 and July 26, the San Francisco Police Department debuted the latest addition of their vehicle fleet, the Quadski, in McCovey Cove during the SF Giants and Oakland Athletics series games. The vehicle received notable attention from baseball fans during the second game at AT&T stadium, and honorable mentions from Giants announcers—Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper.
The SFPD conducted the unveiling at the Law Enforcement Appreciation Night at AT&T Park. Giants announcers Mike Krakow and Duane Kuiper, along with the assembled baseball fans, were impressed with the vehicle.
The Quadski, known formally as the Gibbs Quadski XL, is a terrain quad bike that can transform into a jet ski in a matter of second at the click of a button.
The Quadski’s wheels rise up for buoyancy in water, and the vehicle operates on two engines; one engine powers the jet on water, and the other is a four-cylinder engine that turns the wheels when the vehicle is on land.
According to the SFPD, the Quadski was donated as a gift from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to the police marine unit. Benioff uses the Quadski for recreational purposes at his home in Hawaii, and believed the vehicle would be useful for the SFPD to have for water rescues. The Board of Supervisors approved San Francisco Chief of Police’s acceptance of Benioff’s gift at their meeting on October 8, 2014.
The San Francisco News
According to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the topic of Benioff’s generous offer first appeared on the agenda of the Board of Supervisors meeting on March 31, 2014. Benioff gifted two Quadskis; one to the San Francisco Fire Department Marine Operations, and the other to the San Francisco Police Department Marine Unit.
The amphibious vehicle retails upwards of $50,500 and travels at 45-50 miles per hour on both land and water.
The SFPD’s weekend test ride in McCovey Cove was the Quadski’s debut showcase to the general public.
