Newly Employed Officers Receive $5,000 Bonuses through the Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program
 
CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis met with officers from the Cape Coral Police Department in Lee County to deliver $5,000 recruitment bonuses to newly recruited officers through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. The first of its kind program is part of the strongest law enforcement support initiative in the nation and awards a one-time bonus payment of $5,000 after taxes to each newly employed officer within the state. Each of the six officers was sworn into the Cape Coral Police Department prior to Hurricane Ian and served the community during response and recovery efforts. Of the six officers recognized today, two relocated from New York, one relocated from Maryland, one relocated from Georgia, and two are new to the profession.
 
“I am happy to be able to hand deliver six recruitment bonuses to new officers at the Cape Coral Police Department,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We are glad these officers chose to bring their talents to the law enforcement profession in Florida. The heroism all our officers displayed when responding to Hurricane Ian is yet another example of why we must always back the blue.”
 
During the 2022 Legislative Session, Governor DeSantis proposed, and the Legislature passed, House Bill 3, a sweeping law enforcement recruitment and retention bill, which included $20 million for the Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. Coupled with Florida’s law and order policies and Freedom First Budget, the program reinforces Florida’s position as the best state in which to be a sworn law enforcement officer. The program encourages Floridians to join the law enforcement profession and out of state law enforcement professionals to bring their skills to the Sunshine State.
 
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen our state’s law enforcement officers make extraordinary sacrifices to help those affected by Hurricane Ian. Today, we welcome Cape Coral Police Department’s newest officers and thank them for the sacrifices they are making and will continue to make as they serve their community,” said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Secretary Dane Eagle. “DEO is proud to assist Governor DeSantis in his mission to ensure Florida is the best place to be a law enforcement officer, and we are dedicated to bringing the most talented law enforcement professionals to our state.”
 
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.
 
Additionally, the 2022–2023 General Appropriations Act passed by the Florida Legislature during the 2022 Legislative Session included $125 million for the Florida Essential First Responders Recognition Program. The program awards one-time recognition bonuses of up to $1,000, after taxes, for sworn law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), firefighters, and paramedics employed by a local government as of May 1, 2022.
 
For more information about the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program and the Florida Essential First Responder Recognition Payment Program First Responder Recognition Bonuses, visit www.FloridaJobs.org/Recognition-and-Recruitment
 
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