The Floridant - Florida: Governor Ron DeSantis Recruits Illinois Law Enforcement Officers Through Bonus Program

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ~ In response to recent legislation in Illinois allowing noncitizens to become law enforcement officers and eliminating cash bail, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has announced the launch of billboards in the Greater Chicago Area to recruit law enforcement officers to the Sunshine State. Through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program, out-of-state police officers who relocate to Florida will receive a $5,000 signing bonus.

Governor DeSantis has signed historic law-and-order legislation for three consecutive years, including House Bill 1627 earlier this year, which protects Floridians from these disastrous "bail reform" policies being pushed by liberal politicians and prosecutors in high-crime jurisdictions across the country.

"Florida strongly supports law enforcement and has consistently enacted commonsense criminal justice policies to keep our communities safe," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "We stand behind our citizen officers, and we give them the tools to succeed professionally and personally. Other states deputize non-citizens, enact policies that favor criminals over victims, and work to overtly or covertly defund the police, but not in Florida. I look forward to welcoming the Illinois men and women in blue to the law-and-order state."

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The Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program was established in 2022 by Governor DeSantis with the intention of encouraging Floridians to join the profession and attract out-of-state recruits or experienced officers to relocate to Florida. The program administers one-time bonus payments of $5,000 after taxes to each eligible newly employed officer within the state. To date, more than 2,700 law enforcement recruits have joined the profession through this program including 750 from 48 states and two U.S. territories who have relocated to Florida; more than 230 recruits from California, New York, and Pennsylvania; and more than 37 from Illinois have received a $5,000 bonus after taxes bringing the total amount awarded through this program up to more than $15 million so far.

In addition to a $5,000 recruitment bonus for new hires through this program other benefits of becoming a law enforcement officer in Florida include financial stability; upward mobility; excellent health and retirement benefits; student loan forgiveness programs; home loan programs; as well as access for local hometown heroes like law enforcement officers, firefighters, military veterans or active duty military personnel into The Hometown Heroes program which provides down payment and closing cost assistance for eligible homebuyers who are purchasing their first home in either their hometown or new state of residence (Florida).

For more information about these programs visit www.FloridaJobs.org/Recognition-and-Recruitment or www.floridahousing.org/programs/homebuyer-overview-page/hometown-heroes respectively

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