TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Over 5,400 bonuses have been awarded to new Florida law enforcement recruits.
FloridaCommerce announced that 5,407 checks of $5,000 were sent to recruits through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program, which was part of a series of house bills passed into law in 2022 by Governor Ron DeSantis.
“Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida is and will remain a pro-law enforcement state,” Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly said in a statement. “This program continues to attract officers eager to pursue a career in law enforcement to our great state because we believe in supporting those who serve and protect our communities.”
The organization says the program has brought in nearly 1,340 recruits just in 2024 alone, with officers from 49 states and territories that have relocated to Florida.
FloridaCommerce also claims it has recruited 400 officers from "anti-police" states such as Illinois, California and New York.
"The safety of Floridians remains a top priority for Governor DeSantis and this program continues to encourage Floridians to pursue a rewarding career in law enforcement and attract out-of-state officers looking to relocate," the organization wrote in a news release.
In total, the bonus program has awarded more than $36 million.
Besides the bonus checks, other benefits listed for becoming a part of Florida law enforcement include financial stability, upward mobility, excellent health and retirement benefits, student loan forgiveness programs, home loan programs and adoption grants.