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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Richard Luscombe in Miami

DeSantis’s $13.5m police program lures officers with violent records to Florida

Police Florida NYPD Ron DeSantis George Floyd New York
Ron DeSantis, who is expected to launch his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination this week, launched the program to attract officers frustrated by Covid-19 mandates.
Ron DeSantis, who is expected to launch his presidential campaign, has sought to attract officers frustrated by Covid-19 mandates. Photograph: Paul Hennessy/Sopa Images/Shutterstock

Numerous police officers lured to new jobs in Florida with cash from Governor Ron DeSantis’s flagship law enforcement relocation program have histories of excessive violence or have been arrested for crimes including kidnapping and murder since signing up, a study of state documents has found.

DeSantis, who is expected to launch his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination this week, has spent more than $13.5m to date on the recruitment bonus program, which he touted in 2021 as an incentive to officers in other states frustrated by Covid-19 vaccination mandates.

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