TALLAHASSEE – The prices of protecting Gov. Ron DeSantis, his family, the governor’s mansion and visiting dignitaries have been up greater than 25 percent through the previous 12 months, in line with a brand new state report.
Florida taxpayers spent greater than $6.097 million through the 2021-2022 fiscal 12 months on protecting companies for the primary family and visiting officers. The bulk of the prices, $5.94 million, went to guarding DeSantis and members of his family, together with securing the governor’s mansion, in line with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s annual “Report of Transportation and Protective Services.”
In the 2020-2021 fiscal 12 months, prices approached $4.85 million, with practically $4.82 million going to guarding DeSantis and different members of his family.
During the 2019-2020 fiscal 12 months, prices to guard DeSantis, the primary family and the governor’s mansion have been the same $4.78 million.
The 2021-2022 numbers have been first reported Tuesday in First Read Florida, which is a part of City & State Florida, a sister publication of The News Service of Florida.
While providing value totals, the brand new report would not define how safety particulars have been staffed or how they operated for the governor and visiting dignitaries.
The report additionally stated $399,098 spent prior to now fiscal 12 months on mansion safety did not embody Capitol Police hours.
The total prices have been topped by practically $4.766 million spent on DeSantis, with greater than $2.375 million going for the salaries of law-enforcement officers who offered safety for the governor and $2.391 million for prices tied to transportation. In the 2020-2021 fiscal 12 months, $3.82 million was spent protecting the governor, with $1.984 million for transportation.
Costs for protecting First Lady Casey DeSantis and different members of the family in 2021-2022 topped $777,000, with $455,665 going to law-enforcement salaries and $64,312 tied to the primary woman’s transportation. The governor and first woman have three younger youngsters.
In the 2020-2021 fiscal 12 months, these prices totaled $463,000.
The report additionally listed 74 bills, totaling about $154,095, to offer protecting particulars for visiting dignitaries.
The report stated state legislation requires the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to offer safety to folks visiting the state for whom “failure to provide security or transportation could result in a clear and present danger to the personal safety of such persons or could result in public embarrassment to the state.”
The largest expense, $40,781 for safety and transportation, was for a three-day Republican Governors Association assembly in December in Miami.
Protective companies additionally have been offered to the governors of 27 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, together with one-time safety particulars involving the consul common of Israel and the U.S. labor secretary.
