State cops get raises but no $1K bonuses

TALLAHASSEE — State police, including those who protect the governor, aren’t getting a $1,000 bonus that Gov. Ron DeSantis has been promoting around the state to make sure Florida retains what he has called “the best law enforcement officers in the nation.”

State officers are receiving their first pay bump in years that will result in double-digit increases for most.

Even so, thousands of highway patrol officers, Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents, wildlife officers and correctional officers want to know why they have been excluded from the second round of federally funded first-responder bonuses they got last year.

“I can assure you people were upset, and rightly so,” said Lisa Henning, a lobbyist for the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents 22,000 state and local law enforcement, including about 1,900 FDLE officers.

“Are we disappointed and concerned for the FDLE officers? Of course,” Henning said. “We don’t want to be described as greedy … but every little bit helps.”

On the flip side, she said she wouldn’t deny those $1,000 bonuses to the thousands of local law enforcement officers who need it. “The state can’t do anything for their salaries, so this bonus is it.”

State law enforcement officers are getting across-the-board permanent raises “in lieu of” the bonus this year, said Jenna Sarkissian, communications director for the House Speaker’s office. Budget negotiators agreed to a plan to boost average pay by 15% for state law enforcement officers.

But DeSantis also wanted to extend that bonus for a second year to all state and local first responders.

Bryan Griffin, deputy press secretary for the governor, said in an email that “we were asking for the same LEO bonuses from the 2021 session that were awarded to state and local law enforcement.”

Asked why that didn’t happen, Griffin said, “Any questions as to what ultimately was funded by the legislature in conference should be directed to the legislature.”

That decision was made in conference committee negotiations after being proposed by the House leadership.

Officials with Senate President Wilton Simpson’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

A March 9 House offer allocated $3.47 billion in federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery funds for “local support grants,” including up to $125 million to local governments to provide one-time recognition payments of up to $1,000 … for each essential first responder,” a category that includes deputy sheriffs, police officers, paramedics and firefighters.

“This takes into account the 5.38% raise for all state employees and the increase to a minimum LEO pay of $50,000 or a 5% increase, whichever is greater,” Griffin said.

About 4,300 full-time sworn officers are eligible, Griffin said. Their average base pay was $52,623 for July. Adjusting the average base rate for the new pay package brings it to $60,482, he said.

Because the Legislature can increase state salaries but has no control over local law enforcement pay, House officials proposed the raise for state officers and offered the bonus for local law enforcement, Sarkissian said.

“We’re happy that local law enforcement was able to benefit from that,” said Matt Puckett, lobbyist for the 30,000-member Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents both local and state law enforcement, including some 2,000 state troopers and wildlife officers.

More than 45,000 local deputies and police officers around the state will get the $1,000 bonus for a second year in a row.

Henning said she is frustrated by the budget process, which lacks transparency. Even she has trouble getting ahold of the budget chair or draft language of a bill or proviso language to make sure none of her officers are excluded from raises and other benefits.

“What I care about is getting as much for my officers as I can,” Henning said.

Puckett said he was looking forward to next year, and making sure some of the classes of law enforcement officers who were neglected this year get some of their issues addressed.

“This was a good year for law enforcement,” Puckett said. “We had three people across the board who wanted to create a welcome environment for law enforcement. We’ve got a lot of folks that didn’t get everything, and are working on it for next year.”