Police officers are increasingly leaving left-wing-led states in favor of red states that offer better job security, higher pay, and stronger public and political support.
According to Joe Gamaldi, national vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police, officers in liberal cities feel abandoned by local leaders and are seeking a more supportive environment.
“What we’ve seen is really a mass exodus of police officers leaving far-left cities for basically greener pastures,” Gamaldi told Fox News. “Because, ultimately, people want to feel appreciated for what they do, and when you have a boss — in this case, mayors or city councils, who regularly call you a piece of crap to the public — why would anyone stay?”
Florida has been one of the most prominent destinations for relocating officers. Between 2022 and 2024, the state welcomed 5,000 law enforcement recruits, including 1,200 from out of state.
“Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation because we back our blue,” former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said last year. “We’ve been spreading the word about all the great incentives to join our ranks, and individuals like the new Sarasota recruits have answered the call, leaving behind places where their service was not as appreciated as it is here.”
Gamaldi added that officers are “voting with their feet,” not just moving to red states but also to blue cities within red states that still support their police forces.
“We’re also seeing it [in] Texas in Houston, which is a city that leans a little blue, but they have been supportive of police officers,” he explained. “The mayor there has given a massive raise to police officers. You’re seeing officers go there. You’re seeing officers go to Dallas. So, you’re seeing all these communities, and there’s one common thread. It’s ‘We support police officers.'”
Since the rise of the “defund the police” movement in 2020, many officers in blue cities have said they feel a growing hostility both from the public and from elected officials.
“I think you can look no further than Seattle, Portland, Chicago [and] New York,” Gamaldi noted. “All of these cities have basically told their police officers, ‘We don’t support you. We’re not gonna be there for you when you need us. We’re gonna try to defund you when given the opportunity.'”
