Florida: Governor DeSantis Advocates for Law Enforcement
The Floridant/10302004

FT. MYERS, Fla. ~ In Ft. Myers, Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Highway and Safety Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner have come together to advocate for pay raises and funding for state troopers and other law enforcement officers.

Governor DeSantis has proposed a 20% pay raise for entry-level officers and a 25% pay raise for veteran officers and all state firefighters in his Focus on Fiscal Responsibility budget. However, the Florida House has blocked these raises and other critical resources for law enforcement.

Earlier this year, Governor DeSantis announced his recommendation for significant pay increases in his Fiscal Responsibility Budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025-26. This budget includes $118.3 million in pay increases for over 4,700 state sworn law enforcement officers and more than 730 state firefighters.

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The proposed pay increases would add to the support already provided to law enforcement and first responders. As a result of these initiatives, Florida has maintained record-low crime rates and remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. It is also known as the friendliest state in the country for first responders.

However, the currently proposed state budget from the Florida House does not follow Governor DeSantis' recommendations. Instead, it defunds ballistic armor, fails to replace law enforcement vehicles with over 100,000 miles on them, does not fund replacements for in-car cameras, defunds raises for law enforcement officers, cuts 84 current state trooper positions, and cuts 73 current state law enforcement dispatcher positions.

Governor DeSantis believes that it is crucial to support and equip law enforcement to ensure their success in protecting our communities. He urges the Florida House to reconsider their budget proposal and prioritize the safety of our state by following his recommendations outlined in the Focus on Fiscal Responsibility Budget.

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