Florida program offers $5,000 bonus in attempt to recruit police officers amid shortage

by VICTORIA DE CARDENAS | WPEC

Mon, October 17th 2022, 11:34 PM UTC

FILE - Police officers from towns across Connecticut stand at the scene where two police officers were killed, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in Bristol, Conn. The deaths of two Connecticut police officers and the wounding of a third during an especially violent week for police across the U.S. fit into a grim pattern, law enforcement experts say. Even as the number of officers has dropped in the past two years, the number being targeted and killed has risen. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

An officer walks from the scene where multiple people were shot including police officers in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. The shooting occurred early in the morning when a SWAT team attempted to serve a homicide warrant. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

OCT. 6, 2022 - To recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month during October, Asheville Police Department has a specially-marked SUV and its officers will wear a pink APD uniform patch. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)

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FILE - Police officers from towns across Connecticut stand at the scene where two police officers were killed, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in Bristol, Conn. The deaths of two Connecticut police officers and the wounding of a third during an especially violent week for police across the U.S. fit into a grim pattern, law enforcement experts say. Even as the number of officers has dropped in the past two years, the number being targeted and killed has risen. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (WPEC) — Law enforcement has been under increasing public scrutiny. Police agencies nationwide are struggling to hire and retain sworn officers and staff.

As cities continue to grow, police departments need more boots on the ground but the ‘help wanted’ sign is staying out longer than they would like.

"We are in a recruitment and retention crisis in American law enforcement around the nation," said spokesperson for the National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Smith.

The last few years have brought challenges to police departments across the nation, with many officers leaving the field and departments unable to fill vacant positions.

“It's going to become more and more dangerous as time goes on if we don’t have a handle on this if we don’t get a handle on this," Smith said.

Many factors are contributing to this problem, including the way some cities have made public safety a political issue.

“Politics should play no role in police recruitment and retention," said Smith. "But unfortunately, we're in an atmosphere now that, again, post-George Floyd, the defund the police movement put in place by the Democrat party has made policing unfortunately political.”

Port St. Lucie, Florida police chief John Bolduc told CBS12 News that they're one of those towns where law enforcement numbers are down.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is vocal about his support for police agencies, launched the Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. The program aims to boost recruiting by offering officers from other states up to $5,000 as a sign-on bonus.

Bolduc says they’ve got seven potential hires who could qualify for that bonus but politics is hurting his department, too.

“I’ve had young officers tell me ‘I don’t know if I want to go the rest of my career, the rest of my life, being in a profession that is being looked down on,'" said Bolduc.

Both Sgt. Smith and Chief Bolduc say there’s a generational gap in policing. Previous generations stayed with departments until retirement — today’s officers are looking for competitive pay.

“They’re always going to be looking for something better, so we as American law enforcement — our agencies — we have to adapt," said Smith. “We have to make opportunities available.”

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