Governor Ron DeSantis Awards Bonuses to Law Enforcement Recruits, Reaching More Than 9,400 Total

PANAMA CITY, Fla.- Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida has awarded more than 9,400 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 the Florida Panhandle region, with an additional 734 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.

"Today in Panama City, we welcomed new law enforcement recruits from Bay, Franklin, Gulf, and Walton counties and awarded them $5,000 recruitment bonuses," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "Many new officers across the state moved to Florida from soft-on-crime jurisdictions, where prosecutors allow crime to run rampant and local politicians denigrate law enforcement. Here in Florida, law enforcement officers are supported and appreciated-and criminals are held accountable!"

To date, more than 1,900 law enforcement officers from 49 other states and two territories have relocated to Florida, with more than 600 coming from anti-police states like California, Illinois, and New York. Each of the 9,400 newly recruited officers has received a $5,000 bonus after taxes, with the program distributing more than $63 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.