If Gov. Ron DeSantis has his way, the state of Florida will invest nearly $374 million in raises for Department of Corrections employees, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said during a visit to Northwest Florida Feb 9.
Collins touted the proposed raises during a visit to the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton.
Florida has one of the largest prison systems in the country, housing 80,000 inmates. Collins said the raises would benefit correctional officers, probation officers and inspectors by boosting starting salaries from $22 an hour to $28 an hour.
Collins said the governor wants another $56 million to be set aside to hire 500 new officers.
The Legislature is now putting together the state budget for 2026-27, which DeSantis has line item veto power over. The ongoing legislative session is set to end March 13; the next budget goes into effect July 1.
“You are the front lines of public safety,” Collins said to corrections staff on hand for his visit to the Milton prison. “Florida’s justice system does not work without corrections. Our law enforcement can make arrests, our prosecutors can try cases, our judges can impose sentences, but nothing matters without a secure corrections system that enforces accountability.
“Our corrections officers make sure criminals stay behind bars, court-ordered sentences are carried out and public safety is protected.”
DeSantis said in December 2025 that his administration was reaffirming its commitment to public safety and law and order through a suite of investments into the Department of Corrections.
Some other measures included in his proposed budget included $56 million to replace aging prison infrastructure, $48 million for the continued modernization of the FDOC’s data systems, $18.8 million for security equipment for officers including body scanners and body-worm cameras.
“This will insure our officers have the infrastructure necessary to manage inmate populations in safety for generations to come,” Collins said in Santa Rosa.
Collins was accompanied by Hope Gartman, the Department of Correction’s assistant deputy secretary of institutions. She announced that the pay raises sought by the governor will go beyond uniformed personnel to include office staff and those working behind the scenes.
“This is about more than pay. It’s about recognizing the importance of the mission and ensuring our workforce has the resources it needs to succeed,” she said.
Santa Rosa Correctional Institute Sgt. Joseph Hair spoke of the difficulty of the job the 2,600 who work inside the prison face daily and the relative obscurity in which they labor.
“Most of the work we do is not seen by the public, and that’s the way it should be. If we’re operating efficiently nobody thinks about what’s happening inside,” he said.
Corrections work is not for everyone, Hair said: “There are no slow days. We never know what each day will bring. It takes a full team to manage a facility this large. And when the state stands up and recognizes the sacrifices, it means a great deal.”
DeSantis will term-limited out of office in January 2027. Collins – a retired Army Green Beret and combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and South America – is running for the governor’s seat.
During his appearance in Milton, Collins also toured the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, where he was greeted by Sheriff Bob Johnson and his command staff.
Johnson, who has announced his retirement, took the opportunity to endorse Collins, who faces, among other opponents, fellow Republican Byron Donalds, now campaigning with an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida may invest $374M into pay raises for correctional officers
Reporting by Tom McLaughlin, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
