In 2022, while some cities were reaping the disastrous results of “defund the police” experiments, I signed landmark legislation to strengthen law enforcement recruitment and retention in Florida. In the four years since, we have awarded nearly 12,500 bonuses totaling more than $83 million to our law enforcement officers. We have also made record-breaking investments in officer pay, benefits, training, and protections for the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the people of our state. We continue to build on this foundation to keep Florida the most law enforcement-friendly state in the country. Today, I was proud to welcome new officers in Pasco County with $5,000 after-tax recruitment bonuses. Including these 38 new hires in Pasco, there are 1,500 new law enforcement officers throughout our state receiving recruitment bonus checks this week, totaling more than $10 million. Thank you to all who wear the badge and work hard every day to keep our communities safe.