Chicago City Wire

In an effort to attract law enforcement talent to the Sunshine State the Bradenton Police Department made a notable appearance at the Chicago Law Enforcement Hiring Expo.

The event provided an opportunity to showcase the benefits of working in Florida's pro-law enforcement environment.

"@BradentonPD traveled to Chicago’s Law Enforcement Hiring Expo to show officers the benefits of working in the Sunshine State,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said on X.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody | Wikimedia Commons

“Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation, and we provide our officers with the resources they need to keep communities safe.”

“If you’re interested in joining Florida’s finest, visit http://BeAFloridaHero.com for more information.”

The crime problem in Chicago has been increasing for the past several years.

Critics say it is due to lax prosecution under Kim Foxx's tenure as state's attorney for Cook County.

In Chicago the number of murders has drastically climbed recently, reaching new highs not seen since 1994. In 2022 Cook County registered 927 homicides, including 740 in the City of Chicago.

In 2022 alone, burglaries increased by 33 percent, thefts increased by 61 percent, and auto thefts increased by 45 percent.

Last year, Chicago experienced an exodus of over 1,000 police officers, resulting in delayed emergency responses and increased concerns for public safety.

The departures have been attributed to a toxic work environment and lack of support for officers, contributing to a staffing crisis that continues to impact the city's policing efforts, with recent incidents illustrating the consequences of understaffed law enforcement, according to WGN.

The move by Moody echoes a tour of the state earlier this year by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a leading GOP candidate for president.

DeSantis visited Illinois in a three state tour on President’s Day. The “Back the Blue” events were aimed toward law enforcement.

“The reason why you have crime that is spiraling out of control in so many of these different areas is because you have politicians putting woke ideology ahead of public safety,” DeSantis said to a crowd of law enforcement officers at the Elmhurst Knights of Columbus Hall.

“As you see, massive increases in crime in places like Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia. Florida has a 50 year low in our crime rate.”