Satellite Beach—Accompanied by State Senator Debbie Mayfield and State Rep. Randy Fine, and along with about a dozen law enforcement officers, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that he was giving $1,000 bonuses to all first responders in the state.
“Every sworn law enforcement officer, every EMT, every firefighter, and every paramedic in the state of Florida,” stated Gov. DeSantis.
Gov. DeSantis prefaced his announcement by pointing to the amount of work first responders had been loaded up with as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and outlined how law enforcement has been mistreated around the country as a result of the riots that occurred last summer when George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“I thought it was important to recognize the service. To recognize the sacrifice. So, I asked the legislature in this legislative session, we need to do bonuses for law enforcement,” said DeSantis. “Some want to defund the police, we’re funding the police, and then some.”
“You have delivered,” said State Senate Debbie Mayfield, praising the governor and Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls for working to make sure bonuses were given out through the budget.
Sen. Mayfield also said that she was “so thankful” that the legislature passed the anti-rioting HB 1 bill, which DeSantis has already signed into law.
Praise for DeSantis and Republican leadership continued, as Rep. Fine said that if it wasn’t for DeSantis, none of the legislative wins for Floridians would have occurred.
Fine also added that DeSantis “has proved that he is America’s great governor" by disbursing the bonuses to all first responders.
Some want to defund the police.
In Florida, we’re funding them & then some by providing all of our heroes $1,000 bonuses. This represents more than 174,000 first responders across the state!
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— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 5, 2021