Just this week, the Fremont Police Department conducted a thorough inspection of Tesla's Fremont, California, factory in order to assess the facility's current safety measures along with the degree of its operations. According to a police spokesperson, the latest news regarding the whole country's standoff with Tesla CEO Elon Musk about the latter's very dramatic and also "incredibly stup*d", according to an article by Gizmodo, refusal to actually comply with a certain order to stop the production amidst the current global pandemic.
For those still not following the topic, Musk has continuously been publicly melting down over the current lockdown orders. The CEO not only tweets bad takes on certain perpetuating myths along with misinformation about the COVID-19 guidelines, but Musk also requires his employees to still show up for work in direct defiance to the orders from certain health authorities.
Tesla's compliance?
The company previously "ceased operations" sometime in March. Earlier this current week, the CEO tweeted that Tesla would actually be "restarting production today" in direct violation of a certain order by the health authorities of the Alameda County, which Musk is now suing over the current measures. The CEO even added that if any of his workers were arrested on-site, "that it only be me."
Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020
The County officials "agreed" to allow Tesla to reopen as early as next week, but only if they are able to comply with specific safety measures along with the current social distancing protocols. This is something that is impossible given the nature of their work.
According to a spokesperson for the Fremont Police Department's statement to Gizmodo by email, the department had actually paid a visit to the very Fremont factory upon the request of the Alameda County Public Health Department in order to ensure that those set measures were being enforced.
These measures are said to include physical distancing, the use of face mask, and screenings. Tesla is not unable to fully operate. CNBC was the first to report this week's strong police inspection.
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Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk
The spokesperson also stated that it has actually not yet been asked to start an open investigation despite the whole company's obvious defiance of the order in the County of Alameda. The department will soon be passing on its observations to nonother than the county's health department, and if it is found out that Tesla is still not meeting the agreed-upon measures, both of the parties will discuss how "immediate compliance" could possibly be obtained.
The spokesperson also added that the compliance is definitely not possible and the situation would actually head straight to the county's own district attorney's office, which would eventually make a decision as to whether or not they should pursue charges.
In plain terms, if CEO Elon Musk actually violates the law, they will definitely sue him. And if he does it again, despite something to be worked out, this still comes with severe consequences.
The police spokesperson has told Gizmodo that the whole department is currently "not taking enforcement action" due to the "good faith talks" that they had with Tesla regarding the laid out safety plans that were ongoing.
A Tesla employee even reported to the Guardian that the company is using "intimidation tactics" to force employees to work in fear of losing their jobs.
