Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has extended an open invitation to New York City police officers who are considering leaving the city following newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s controversial past remarks about law enforcement, as reported by the Gateway Pundit.
After Mamdani’s victory last week, reports surfaced that many NYPD officers were preparing to resign or transfer, citing concerns about the new administration’s hostility toward police.
In response, Governor DeSantis announced that Florida is ready to welcome them with incentives to continue their careers in a more supportive environment.
Mamdani, who has long been critical of the NYPD, made his stance clear during the 2020 nationwide unrest. At that time, he called the police department “racist, anti-queer, and a major threat to public safety.”
We don’t need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety.
What we need is to #DefundTheNYPD.
But your deal with @NYCMayor uses budget tricks to keep as many cops as possible on the beat.
NO to fake cuts – defund the police. https://t.co/2RCXU8heg2
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 29, 2020
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He also demanded that New York City “defund the police” by one billion dollars, arguing that “policing is something that does not create safety.”
2020. Zohran Mamdani calls for a billion dollar cut to the NYPD budget because according to him “policing is something that does not create safety.”
2025 Mamdani: I don’t want to defund the police. pic.twitter.com/kgA3mgaBeO
— MAZE (@mazemoore) October 28, 2025
The Gateway Pundit highlighted Mamdani’s consistent advocacy for police defunding, noting that his rhetoric during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement resonated with far-left activists who sought to cut funding to law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Podcaster and retired NYPD officer Zeek Arkham posted on X about the growing frustration among officers. “Just about every NYPD cop I’ve spoken to has told me they’re putting their papers in to leave,” Arkham wrote.
“They’re not about to stay in a city where the mayor, and the people who elected him, openly hates them.”
He continued, “It’s cool, though… when you’re getting assaulted, robbed, or raped, a social worker or ‘violence interrupter’ is going to show up and make everything alright. Elections have consequences, and you’re about to get a major consequence.”
Just about every NYPD cop I’ve spoken to has told me they’re putting their papers in to leave. They’re not about to stay in a city where the mayor, and the people who elected him, openly hates them.
It’s cool, though… when you’re getting assaulted, robbed, or raped, a social…
— Zeek Arkham (@ZeekArkham) November 5, 2025
Governor DeSantis replied directly to Arkham’s post, confirming that Florida is prepared to recruit officers leaving New York. “The $5k recruitment bonus we give to new officers will be utilized by a number of these NYPD officers,” DeSantis wrote.
The $5k recruitment bonus we give to new officers will be utilized by a number of these NYPD officers.
There is no reason to risk your life serving when the mayor hates you and believes your department shouldn’t even exist. https://t.co/OMKxXVUFM6
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) November 5, 2025
“There is no reason to risk your life serving when the mayor hates you and believes your department shouldn’t even exist.”
Florida has been one of the most aggressive states in recent years in recruiting law enforcement from other parts of the country, particularly from cities where police morale has suffered due to anti-police sentiment or budget cuts.
The state’s “Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program” offers incentives to officers relocating from states with stricter mandates or politically hostile environments.
As thousands of New Yorkers express interest in leaving the city, DeSantis’s latest message reinforces Florida’s position as a destination for officers seeking respect, stability, and community support — priorities many feel are lacking under New York’s new leadership.
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