Governor Ron DeSantis awards bonuses to law enforcement recruits, reaching 8,700 total
Press release from the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
TAMPA, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida has awarded more than 8,700 recruitment bonuses to new law enforcement officers through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. The latest round of bonuses went to officers serving in Hillsborough County, with an additional 715 bonuses distributed to recruits across the state.
Launched in 2022, this first-of-its-kind initiative underscores Florida’s nation-leading commitment to supporting law enforcement. The program provides a one-time $5,000 bonus — after taxes — to newly employed officers as a show of appreciation and incentive for choosing to serve in Florida.
“In Tampa this morning, I had the honor of hand-delivering $5,000 recruitment bonuses to 40 new Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputies and thanking them for all they do to serve their communities,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We continue our mission to give our law enforcement officers everything they need to keep our communities safe, such as recruitment bonuses, pay raises, resources to promote physical and mental wellbeing, and tough-on-crime policies that allow officers to do their jobs without fear of political retaliation.”
“I’m incredibly honored to help lead the great state of Florida alongside Governor DeSantis — where we proudly stand behind our law enforcement officers,” said Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins. “We continue taking decisive steps not only to protect their safety but also enhance the quality of their livelihoods.”
To date, more than 1,900 law enforcement officers from 49 other states and two territories have relocated to Florida, with more than 500 coming from anti-police states like California, Illinois, and New York. Each of the 8,700 newly recruited officers has received a $5,000 bonus after taxes, with the program distributing more than $58 million to date.
The bonuses are part of a broader initiative to make Florida the most law-and-order state in the nation. Under the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget, the Governor secured $49 million in pay increases for more than 16,200 state sworn law enforcement officers, raised the minimum base pay to $60,000, and provided significant raises for both entry-level and veteran officers. The state has also expanded wellness resources, enhanced penalties for crimes against officers, introduced law enforcement education programs in high schools, and launched the Florida Law Enforcement Academy Scholarship Program to cover training costs for new recruits.
In addition to a $5,000 recruitment bonus, benefits of becoming a Florida law enforcement officer include financial stability, upward mobility, excellent health and retirement benefits, student loan forgiveness programs, home loan programs, and more.
For more information about the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment, visit FloridaJobs.org/Recognition-and-Recruitment.
What a great governor!
Our “great governor”, in his zeal to suck up to MAGA voters rushed Aliigator Auschwitz with no bid contracts to subs who donated to his campaign and without proper environmental reviews. It is now on hold under a court order while it gets environmental review. He also claims the construction and operation costs which we Florida taxpayers are covering will be repaid by FEMA. Guess that now stands for Federal Emergencyfund for MAGA A…holes.
He’s eager to do another one in Baker County.
As usual, your information is partial: Alligator Alcatraz is not “on hold.” Further construction is temporarily prohibited, but construction was completed for current operations, and it is operating. Also, the order prohibits any work to mitigate environmental impacts, so I’m not sure it’s the win they think it is. Also, Baker County will be up and running in a matter of weeks.
Speaking of partial information Hannah, that’s your specialty judging from the state settlement money to Hope Florida to dark money for campaigns “mystery” you tried to muddy.
Apparently we agree that Alligator Auschwitz was built with no bid subs, is inder a court order to stop building until it gets permits any fool not the governor who builds – I build – knows to get, is being paid for by Floridians, under his promise we’ll get reimbursed by a federal agency never designed for this kind of Tom Foolery.
Since you seem to know more about the Baker County concentration camp, are we paying for that, who in Florida besides the Governor wants to build it there or anywhere in state, and what are Floridians getting out of yet another political stunt from DeSantis?
Curious on the thumbs down – you somehow like having concentration camps around Florida where people will be shipped from other states and paying for them with a promise to be repaid from an inappropriate source we may need to fund “emergency management” after a hurricane?
Why?
And you voted for the freak Gillum.
Anti-police states???? What a stupid thing to say. It would be nice to read an article in this news letter that actually stuck to facts. I’m interested in reading what is going on, but without the propaganda.
California, Illinois, and New York City are largely anti police and defund the police states. Hundreds of police officers have left those states and cities for red states that support them and defend them.
All of those states pay a lot more than Florida does to their cops. See link below.
First off I did not down vote you. I will however do it since you ASSUME everything.
New York Post
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://nypost.com/2021/11/13/nypd-cops-find-respect-warm-welcome-more-money-in-florida/&ved=2ahUKEwinweji6I2PAxU3m2oFHQRSJTM4ChAWegQIMhAB&usg=AOvVaw3SIrOPt8onUNuxEimLFmDP
National Police Association-
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://nationalpolice.org/cops-relocating-to-greener-pastures-influenced-by-anti-police-governments/&ved=2ahUKEwj7zuT9542PAxU_mmoFHdghBd0QFnoECD0QAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw0aG0EOYw1PTjI05x2_FENI
I can go on and on.
Thanks for the links Bear.
The NYPost article is about 12 NYPD officers moving to Lakeland, which actively recruited them. 12.
The NPA article cites no data in support of your contention, and by the way, is written by a retired cop who spent almost all of his career in Tampa.
One assumes that if the recruitment project was going that well, the state wouldn’t still be loudly offering the incentive and promoting it. It’s been going on at least for a couple of years now. And as you state below, no doubt if cops were paid more here, the campaign wouldn’t be necessary.
Florida ranks last in cop pay by state.
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/What-Is-the-Average-Police-Officer-Salary-by-State
Then why are cops fleeing those states for lower pay? They can’t afford the higher taxes and the constant threat of losing their jobs if they arrest the wrong flavor of the day. Kinda how some cops feel here in this liberal county. Lower pay with sanity and peace of mind is better then the blue state alternatives.
You have any data on that Bear?
Curious on the 3 thumbs down – you disagree or can’t handle the truth? Facts are facts.
Not sure who you are speaking too. You can read above post for links.
Baloney
You are right that Florida pay may not be that great. The cost of living in smaller towns and rural counties is a lot less than New York, California, etc especially when you factor in blue state income tax, county income taxes, and city occupation taxes. Can you imagine a city taxing you for having to work in their city limits. And most of the blue states are offering what? Higher crime, higher rent, higher taxes. Cops can sell their homes in New York and California and use the money to buy a home outright in Florida.