DeSantis: Florida's tough-on-crime policies are necessary

(The Center Square) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at the Florida Sheriffs' Association Summer Conference on Wednesday and said the Sunshine State does not allow criminals to run amok.

DeSantis pointed out that in other states, leadership is cutting police resources and are allowing illegal migrants to form criminal gangs that loot businesses with no consequences.

"CNN of all places was investigating illegal aliens that would create criminal rings, and they were stealing and looting a lot of places in New York City," DeSantis said. "It turned out that when they would get the proceeds of this, they would try to wanna come down to Florida to spend the money. Someone asked them from CNN why don't you steal in Florida? They said because in Florida, they put you in jail."

DeSantis noted that if you want a lower crime rate, you have to have good policies, and if Florida enacted some of the laws seen in states like Illinois, California or New York, law enforcement would be "kneecapped."

An example is Illinois' abolishment of cash bail, which he says makes it easier for criminals to get back out on the street. DeSantis said this policy has already been tried and failed in New York.

"Los Angeles defunded police by $175 million, San Francisco has reduced by $120 million for police budget. NYPD has gone a billion due to budget cuts, basically since 2020 that's happened. Washington D.C., our nation's capital…homicides up 30%, motor vehicle theft up 103%, robberies up 70% and violent crime up 40%," DeSantis said.

According to DeSantis, the increasing crime rate in D.C. is reportedly costing over $3 billion annually, and this debt then falls on the taxpayers.

"We've seen examples of what's happened, and we've done the opposite in Florida, and we're better off for doing the opposite in Florida," DeSantis said.

DeSantis noted that because the state budget is fiscally sound, it allows room to include huge support for law enforcement.

"A lot of these states that are doing poorly, you know they're not even fiscally solvent as is, and so if anything more happens, they're gonna be in big big trouble," DeSantis said.

Meanwhile, Florida is offering recruitment bonuses of up to $5,000 to law enforcement officers who relocate from other states while encouraging veterans and the younger generation to choose law enforcement as a career.