This week, we continued our Thin Line Tribute: Sunshine Salute Series by recognizing a Clay County Sheriff’s Deputy who fled the chaos in California to serve in the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation.

Deputy Colton Harris, originally from Oakland, California, spoke to us about the stark differences between serving in Florida versus California. He described experiencing a lack of support from leadership and feeling helpless as he watched criminals being released from jail just hours after they were arrested.

Now, serving in the Sunshine State, Deputy Harris feels supported and his family is enjoying the change of pace and scenery. The Harris family is just one of many new law enforcement families choosing Florida. 

Since July 2022, nearly 5,000 new recruits joined our law enforcement ranks, including more than 1,200 from out-of-state. Four hundred of these officers moved from California, Illinois and New York collectively.

Out-of-state officers like Deputy Harris who are thinking about a change should visit BeAFloridaHero.com to learn more about the incredible benefits and incentives of joining Florida’s law enforcement ranks.

By fostering a pro-law enforcement environment and recruiting new officers from states that do not value their service, we are building a Stronger, Safer Florida.