Florida Governor Ron DeSantis traveled to Panama Metropolis in Bay County, then to Franklin, Gulf, and Walton counties, to greet new legislation enforcement recruits by awarding them $5,000 recruitment bonuses.
Often known as the Florida Regulation Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Cost Program, it has given out greater than 9,400 recruitment bonuses to new legislation enforcement officers.
The governor began the bonus program in 2022 as a solution to sway cops from different states that had been soft-on-crime jurisdictions and the place prosecutors enable crime to run rampant and native politicians denigrate legislation enforcement.
“Right here in Florida, legislation enforcement officers are supported and appreciated, and criminals are held accountable,” stated Gov. DeSantis.
Seen as a first-of-its-kind initiative, this system presents a one-time $5,000 bonus to newly employed officers as a gesture of appreciation and an incentive for selecting to serve in Florida. In addition to the $5,000 recruitment bonus, the state additionally presents advantages to Florida legislation enforcement officers, corresponding to well being and retirement advantages, pupil mortgage forgiveness packages, dwelling mortgage packages, and extra.
This newest spherical of bonuses was awarded to officers serving the Florida Panhandle area, with a further 734 bonuses distributed to recruits statewide.
The Governor’s workplace says thus far, there have been greater than 1,900 legislation enforcement officers from 49 different states and two territories have relocated to Florida, with greater than 600 coming from anti-police states like California, Illinois, and New York. Since its inception, this system has distributed over $63 million.
Underneath the Fiscal Yr 2025-26 finances, the Governor secured $49 million in pay will increase for greater than 16,200 state sworn legislation enforcement officers, raised the minimal base pay to $60,000, and offered vital raises for each entry-level and veteran officers. The state has additionally expanded wellness assets, enhanced penalties for crimes in opposition to officers, launched legislation enforcement education schemes in excessive faculties, and launched the Florida Regulation Enforcement Academy Scholarship Program to cowl coaching prices for brand spanking new recruits.
