Over 1,750 bonuses have been issued through

Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program

http://www.cljnews.com

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Ron Desantis announced that Florida continues to reach new milestones in law enforcement recruitment, issuing more than 1,750 bonuses through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program. This program is designed to encourage Floridians to join the profession and attract out of state recruits or experienced officers that will relocate to Florida. To date, 530 law enforcement recruits from 48 states and U.S. territories have relocated to Florida including more than 200 from California, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania. Each of the more than 1,750 law enforcement officers have received a $5,000 bonus after taxes, bringing the total amount awarded through the program to more than $11.8 million.

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. In the Governor’s Framework for Freedom Budget for fiscal year 2023-2024, $30 million is proposed to continue the Law Enforcement Recruitment bonus payment program, which is $10 million more than the previous year’s allocation.

Gov. Desantis is also proposing $220 million for the First Responders Recognition payment program, an increase of $95 million over the current year for state and locally employed first responders. Florida has also established the Hometown Heroes program to help local hometown heroes like law enforcement officers, firefighters, military veterans and active-duty military personnel afford to purchase their first home in the communities they serve. The program provides down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible homebuyers who are purchasing a home for the first time or buyers who have moved to Florida and are purchasing their first home in the state. Go to www.floridahousing.org/programs/homebuyer-overview-page/hometown-heroes to learn more.

For more information about the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program, visit www.FloridaJobs.org/Recognition-and-Recruitment.