LAKELAND, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis visited Lakeland Tuesday morning to tout his new three-part proposal to recruit officers in the sunshine state.
In his commitment to recruit "brave, high-quality law enforcement officers" in Florida, DeSantis said, "We are going to stand with the men and women of law enforcement."
The proposal includes:
- Offering a $5,000 signing bonus to anyone new to law enforcement, including new recruits or people moving from another state
- Specifically looking to remove roadblocks for people looking to move to Florida
- Create a law enforcement academy scholarship program
DeSantis said the Lakeland Police Department recently went to various parts of the country, recruiting people to move to Lakeland, including an officer from New York.
"We care about fighting for economy, education, and you can't do that without law enforcement and safe communities. I'm proud to give first responders bonuses," DeSantis added during the press conference in Lakeland.
The proposal will be taken up in the next legislative session.