Gov. DeSantis vows to stand with police, blasts ‘soft on crime’ policies in State of the State
Ron DeSantis is perfecting the booster two-step.

FLAPOL092121CH013
'These soft-on-crime policies have been tried in communities throughout the country to disastrous results.'

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared Florida a state of “law and order” during his State of the State address on Tuesday, and further vowed to support law enforcement against proponents of progressive criminal justice reform.

“We will not allow law enforcement to be defunded, bail to be eliminated, criminals to be prematurely released from prison or prosecutors to ignore the law,” DeSantis told lawmakers during the more than 30-minute address.

An outspoken supporter of police, DeSantis touted several pro-law enforcement proposals lawmakers will consider in the 2022 Session, which began Tuesday.

He highlighted plans to raise pay for state law enforcement officers by 25% and emphasized his intent to provide $5,000 bonuses for new police officers. Out-of-state officers who transfer to Florida will also qualify for the bonus.

“Serving in law enforcement is a noble calling and we will not allow our officers to be smeared by reckless politicians and corporate media,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis invited North Miami Beach Police Officer Yehuda Topper to join him at the address. Topper, DeSantis said, moved to Florida from New York and is the state’s first orthodox Jewish police officer.

“Let there be no doubt to those who wear the uniform: the state of Florida stands with you!” DeSantis said.

Last year, Republican lawmakers passed several pro-law enforcement measures into law, including a bill to crack down on rioters. That measure stiffens penalties against rioters and allows state leaders to veto any local budget they argue hampers law enforcement.

DeSantis also provided $1,000 bonuses to all police officers, firefighters and EMTs in Florida. The Republican Governor is a frequent guest on Fox News and often bashes progressive cities such as New York, Seattle and San Francisco.

Leaders of those cities, he commonly suggests, have turned their back on law enforcement.

“These soft-on-crime policies have been tried in communities throughout the country to disastrous results: crime has skyrocketed, morale for police officers has plummeted and quality of life has been destroyed,” DeSantis said.

He touched on a slew of topics during the address. Law and order, he emphasized, requires a secure border.

DeSantis in June sent 50 police officers to Texas to address the ongoing border crisis. The mission cost state taxpayers $1.6 million as of November — a small price, he contended, compared to the harm inflicted upon local communities.

“The crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border over the past year has witnessed staggering illegal migration and a massive influx of narcotics like fentanyl,” DeSantis said.

Migrant encounters at the Southern Border hit a 21-year high in July, per the Pew Research Center.

Jason Delgado

Jason Delgado covers news out of the Florida State Capitol. After a go with the U.S. Army, the Orlando-native attended the University of Central Florida and earned a degree in American Policy and National Security. His past bylines include WMFE-NPR and POLITICO Florida. He'd love to hear from you. You can reach Jason by email ([email protected]) or on Twitter at @byJasonDelgado.


7 comments

  • PeterH

    January 11, 2022 at 1:22 pm

    Political grandstanding!

  • Concern Citizen

    January 11, 2022 at 1:24 pm

    He is correct. Just look at the attack on Democracy on Jan 6, 2021. Very little has been done to hold those accountable for this crime. Too many of the alleged leaders or organizers of this attack on our Capitol just discard subpoenas

  • Alex

    January 11, 2022 at 1:32 pm

    Blah, blah, blah.

    Standard republican “tough on crime” blabber we’ve seen hundreds to times before.

    Republicans ignored the fact hate crimes/domestic terrorism by the far right went waaay up, becoming the number one cause of terrorism in the US, mass shootings went waaay up, and gun homicides spiked.

    Then they attacked Congress in an attempted coup to put the orange petrological liar back in.

    Violence is now “normal” in the GOP.

    • Don’t Look Up

      January 11, 2022 at 1:43 pm

      We can retake our democracy by proving without a trial that elected officials MUST abide by section 3 of the 14th Amendment!

      https://youtu.be/7mRDjdBqdW8

  • tom palmer

    January 11, 2022 at 7:33 pm

    I wish he were tough on crime on the GOP ghost candidate scams. but don’t hold your breath

  • Trevor Morris

    January 11, 2022 at 9:40 pm

    Because it is in some way, somehow good public policy to keep people in state prison for life for “crimes” that resulted in no one getting hurt and nothing being stolen? This MoRon is as ignorant on criminal justice as he is with Covid. Florida must do better.

  • Patrick Cook

    January 12, 2022 at 10:42 am

    Defund education and give additional funds to police with a stated goal of making Floridians better citizens. Why not, that worked out well in Europe during the late 1930’s and early 40’s. Do we really want to see that here? Get out the vote!

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704