DeSantis Racks Up Pro-Law Enforcement Accomplishments in Face of ‘Defund the Police’ Movement

July 28, 2022 Updated 4:03 P.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Recently attending the Florida Sheriffs Association Summer Conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated a stance in support of Florida law enforcement.

Afterwards, DeSantis noted his strong opposition to defunding the police, a movement that gained traction after the death of George Floyd. The movement lead into the heat of the 2020 election season.

“Proud to stand for law and order by prohibiting the defunding of law enforcement and providing $1,000 bonuses to all sworn law enforcement officers in Florida,” DeSantis said.

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In March, DeSantis announced he will award a round of $1,000 bonuses for sworn law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs: “Whether it’s a sheriff’s department and sheriff’s deputies, whether it’s a municipal police department, fire, paramedics, EMTs, you name it, you’re eligible.”

“We’re proud to be able to stand with our great first responders in the state of Florida,” he said.

In June, DeSantis signed SB 226, the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program Act, ensuring caregivers are given proper monetary support to care for retired police dogs. “We’ve also got to think of these guys here on all four legs,” DeSantis said. “A lot of these canines are instrumental in helping to keep our community safe.”

President Joe Biden tried to turn the tables on DeSantis and Republicans by pushing an “assault weapons” ban: “Leaders like Governor DeSantis, Senator Marco Rubio, and Senator Rick Scott are all opposed to banning assault weapons,” he said in a Tweet. “If you can’t support banning weapons of war on America’s streets, you’re not on the side of police.”

Christina Pushaw, DeSantis’ press secretary, fired back at Biden, saying, “Clearly, President Biden has nothing to say about his own administration’s failures, which is why he is attacking politicians from the great state of Florida.” She slammed the “federal government’s dysfunction.”

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In July 2020, Biden said in an interview with Now This’ Ady Barkan that some funding should “absolutely” be ‘redirected’ from the police, which critics say is synonymous with ‘defund the police.’

Barkan: “But do we agree that we can redirect some of the [police] funding?”

Biden: “Yes, absolutely… One of the things that we also need to be doing is fundamentally changing way we deal with our prison system.”

DeSantis’ office told Florida’s Voice that one of the “highest priorities” of the governor has been supporting law enforcement. Earlier this month, DeSantis vowed to ensure that Florida remains a “law-and-order state.”

“We’re going put people behind bars who violate the law, not like these other states where they release all the criminals on the streets. You see how destructive that has been,” he said.

Bryan Griffin, Deputy Press Secretary for DeSantis, pointed to the governor’s Freedom First Budget, which allocates $5,000 signing bonuses for new recruits and out-of-state officers, $1,000 bonuses for local officers and first responders, $5 million for law enforcement training scholarships, $15 million for pay raises in 29 fiscally constrained rural counties, $13.2 million for youth challenge programs and mentoring initiatives, and a 15% average pay increase for state sworn law enforcement officers.

“You know, we’re not just talking in Florida–we’re putting our money where our mouth is. We’re stepping up to the plate, and doing things legislatively that are making a huge, huge difference. And today is yet another example of things that we’re doing that are really groundbreaking,” DeSantis said a press conference earlier this year where he signed HB 3, legislation that “encourages Floridians to join the law enforcement profession” and incentivizes out-of-state officers to “bring their skills” to Florida.

Florida’s Voice reached out to the Nikki Fried campaign for her stance on defunding the police in contrast to the governor’s. Fried is aiming to be the Democrat nominee for Florida governor and face off against DeSantis in Nov.

Keith Edwards, Fried’s communications director, said that Nikki Fried “will not defund the police. Quite the opposite.”

“She knows that, like the economy of Florida, our public safety mechanisms have become disconnected from the lives of everyday Floridians. As a public defender, she was on the front lines, standing with those facing the stark inequalities of race, money, education, and mental health,” he continued.

Edwards said that if elected, Fried will “travel the state listening to policing and public safety professionals, as well as those who have been through the criminal justice system.” He emphasized a need to “re-establish trust between law enforcement and our community.”

“Part of the answer lies in ensuring our police officers know they are valued, and are paid a fair salary for the dangerous work they do every day. She will establish a standard minimum salary for all law enforcement.”