(3) Does “protecting a commercial spaceport environment,” along with “critical infrastructure and high-value technology assets,” in a community “shaped by aerospace activity, coastal ecology, and a pioneering spirit of exploration” sound like your dream job? Well why not apply to be the “future chief of police” of Elon Musk’s company town in Texas? As noted in a story last month on ValleyCentral.com, which is affiliated with Brownsville, Texas area TV news station KGBT, the city of Starbase (yes, it’s a real, incorporated city) approved an ordinance (yes, it has the authority to make laws) establishing a municipal police department. That will include a chief of police and eight officers, with that chief, according to ValleyCentral, elected by the city’s commission. To that end, apparently, the city just published a job listing seeking applicants for a job titled “Public Safety Director / Future Chief of Police.” The rather puzzling hybrid title may stem from the sheer speed at which the institutional trappings of a city are being assembled in Starbase. The city was incorporated about ten months ago, has a mayor, and will be holding an election on May 2 of this year according to its website. ValleyCentral makes it sound like policing is a somewhat urgent matter in Starbase because a $3.5 million contract with the Cameron County Sheriff fell through. What were meant to be five-year positions as Starbase-based deputies weren’t appealing to potential recruits. City Administrator Kent Myers told ValleyCentral “We didn’t have a lot of success in finding deputies through the county, so we decided to change direction.” The job ad says this position will involve creating a “future-ready workforce” that will prioritize, “Integrating advanced technology and analytics into operations.” Starbase’s ideal applicant, the ad says, is a “visionary, ethical, and innovative leader with unquestioned integrity.” But that ideal candidate will also “thrive in a startup-like environment.” As for what the sociological picture looks like in the area for someone considering being top cop there, the first thing to keep in mind is that it’s a short drive from the Mexican border where, as of 2026, drug trafficking remains an issue of concern at the federal level. And according to a report from 2023, Cameron County was on the list of the 45 counties (out of 254 counties total) in Texas considered to be in poverty.