Photo courtesy of CNN

MIAMI – In an effort to lure more police officers to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state has awarded more than 7,800 recruitment bonuses to new law enforcement officers.

DeSantis launched the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program in 2022, awarding a one-time $5,000 bonus to new law enforcement officers who chose to move to Florida.

According to DeSantis, to date more than 1,700 law enforcement officers from 49 other states and two territories have relocated to Florida, with more than 500 coming from states like California, Illinois, and New York.

Each of the 7,800 newly recruited officers has received a $5,000 bonus after taxes, with the program distributing more than $53 million to date.

Some of the officers were hired by the local sheriff’s offices in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

“When other states were defunding their police, demonizing law enforcement, and kneecapping their criminal justice system, we rewarded our law enforcement for their service,” said DeSantis.

In addition to the $5,000 bonus, new law enforcement officers can quality for employment benefits including student loan forgiveness program and home loan programs.