Florida and its police departments offering incentives to attract new recruits
TAMPA, Fla. - Florida is making a hard push to lure law enforcement officers to the state, offering incentives and reimbursements to relocate. Local agencies are sweetening the deal with their own perks from scholarships to increased salaries.
While agencies nationwide deal with staffing shortages, Florida vowed to become "the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation," as Attorney General Ashley Moody said last year.
The "Be A Florida Hero" program is offering perks like $5,000 bonuses for new law enforcement and money toward education and training.
READ: Jury in Parkland shooting penalty trial recommends life in prison for Nikolas Cruz
The Tampa Police Department currently has about 30 officer openings. Increasing the number of applicants is their Police Recruit Scholarship Program which just opened for the month.
"They pay for your tuition, your books, your uniforms," said Corporal Sarah Michaelson. "It takes a large chunk of the weight off of your shoulders, and you can focus on just doing your schooling and passing the Academy and graduating."
According to the program, "recipients will attend the Basic Recruit class at Hillsborough Community College to receive training for State of Florida certification as a law enforcement officer." Scholarship recipients must sign a contract with the city and "will receive pay and benefits during the training period."
Starting salary is $19.56 an hour. After training and graduation, that bumps to $66,000 a year. Corporal Michaelson, who has been with the department for 21 years, got her badge through the scholarship program.
MORE: Burglary suspect caught wearing gear taken from NFL star Julio Jones' Atlanta home
"You need to be able to have a sense of calm," she said. "Integrity, patience, compassion, empathy."
Every year, they get about 600 applicants, and only 25 spots are available.
"We just try to get the best of the best," Michaelson said.
Meanwhile, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office is attracting attention to 14 detention deputy openings. They recently posted an ad on Facebook showing a text conversation about the job benefits.
"The starting salary for detention deputies is $50,000 a year," said HCSO's HR Director Robert Littrell.
PREVIOUS: Man heads to prison for killing 20-year-old man in Hillsborough DUI crash
They have a spectrum of other openings in other areas from the 911 call center to records. They're also looking for medical professionals.
They're finding that these state and local incentives work.
"We've been pretty successful at it," Littrell said. "We've got folks from New York, Alabama, California, and New Hampshire."
However, the competition is stiff. Out of nearly 1,200 applicants last year, less than 10% got hired.
"You have to be a person of strong moral character, absolutely essential," Littrell said. "You have to have made good life decisions leading up to your application. We want people that want to serve."
The job comes with many stresses. Recruiters in Florida are trying to make sure a paycheck isn't one of them.
MORE: Mom gets 115 years for oatmeal-poisoning murder plot related to custody dispute
"It's definitely a fulfilling job," said Michaelson.
The TPD scholarship program runs through Nov. 3. Click here for more information at. The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is holding an open house Oct. 20 for anyone interested in becoming a detention deputy. It'll take place at 6 p.m. at the Hernando County Detention Center located at 16425 Spring Hill Drive in Brooksville.