Chicago, IL. – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has launched billboards in the Chicago area, announcing a program that offers a $5,000 signing bonus to out-of-state police officers who relocate to Florida.
While the program applies to all out-of-state police officers, DeSantis singled out Illinois in his press release announcing the program, drawing contrast between Florida and Illinois throughout his statement.
DeSantis specifically mentioned the recently upheld SAFE-T Act and House Bill 3751 as reasons for the effort in his statement, legislation that removes cash bail in Illinois and allows non-citizens who are eligible to work in the U.S. and carry firearms become police officers, respectively.
According to DeSantis, “more than 37” law enforcement recruits from Illinois now work in Florida, with over 2,300 officers receiving signing bonuses, totaling to over $15 million since the start of the program.
“Other states deputize non-citizens, enact policies that favor criminals over victims, and work to overtly or covertly defund the police, but not in Florida. I look forward to welcoming the Illinois men and women in blue to the law-and-order state,” DeSantis said in his statement.
According to NBC Chicago, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he was unsurprised by the program, arguing that Florida’s gun laws make the Sunshine State a more dangerous place to be a police officer.
