Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Sunday that he plans to offer a $5,000 bonus to police officers that relocate to Florida.
During an interview on “Sunday Morning Futures”, DeSantis told Fox News host Maria Bartirom, “We’re actually actively working to recruit out-of-state law enforcement, because we do have needs in our police and our sheriff’s departments”.
“So, in the next legislative session, I’m going to hopefully sign legislation that gives a $5,000 bonus to any out-of-state law enforcement that relocates in Florida,” he explained.
Across the country, police officers have been clashing with their cities over vaccine mandates, which is causing many to lose their jobs. The president of New York City’s largest police union has threatened to sue Mayo Bill de Blasio over vaccine requirements. Officers in Chicago and Los Angeles have also defied mandates and at least 150 officers in Massachusetts resigned over the issue.
DeSantis is urging police to relocate to his state if they are at risk over the mandates. “So, NYPD, Minneapolis, Seattle, if you’re not being treated well, we will treat you better here. You can fill important needs for us, and we will compensate you as a result,” he stated.
The governor has repeatedly fought with the Biden Administration over its vaccine mandate, which will require businesses with 100 or more workers to require vaccines or weekly testing. He called the mandate “unconstitutional” and said it will “wreak havoc in the economy” if people lose their jobs.
“And so, in Florida, our policy is very clear. We’re going to have a special session, and we’re going to say, nobody should lose their job based off these injections. It’s a choice you can make. But we want to make sure we’re protecting your jobs and your livelihoods,” he explained.