TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — It's a good time to become a correctional officer in Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Corrections on Wednesday announced hiring bonuses up to $5,000 for correctional officers.
Effective immediately, new correctional officers will receive a $3,000 bonus, plus an extra $1,000 for officers who join high-vacancy institutions. Correctional officers who are already certified can earn an additional $1,000.
"As so many cities and states choose to disrespect, degrade and defund the work of law enforcement, we want Florida to continue valuing our men and women of law enforcement today, tomorrow and for generations to come," DeSantis said in a statement. "This year, we have prioritized initiatives to recruit and reward high-quality officers, especially corrections officers, and these new bonuses, effective immediately, will help support public safety positions within the Florida Department of Corrections."
Beginning next year, the starting salary of state correctional officers will increase to $38,750 -- an increase of 16%.
All current state correctional officers will also receive a one-time $1,500 bonus, while state probation officers will receive a $3,000 bonus next month.
