$5.8 Million Counterterrorism Spend Requested By Gov. Scott

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Gov. Rick Scott is pitching a $5.8 million budget request to hire 46 new counterterrorism agents to work at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. If the measure is approved, each of the agency’s seven regions will have its own counterterrorism squad meant to prevent attacks, such as the one that occurred at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub over the summer.

“Terror is a threat to our state and nation and we need specialists that are solely dedicated to identifying these terrorists and stopping them before they attack,” Scott said in a statement announcing the budget proposal. “Florida came under attack when a terrorist, inspired by ISIS and filled with hate, stormed into Pulse Nightclub and killed 49 innocent people.”

The proposed new agents will specialize in counterterrorism and intelligence. They will be tasked to work with local, state and federal intelligence agencies “to establish a planned, deliberate and comprehensive effort in support of domestic security,” Scott’s office said.

Scott has been working on his proposal for the 2017-18 state budget for some time now ahead of the state Legislature’s return to Tallahassee in March. The request for pumped up funding to fight terrorism has been applauded by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

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"This recommended funding will be critical to ensuring that our law enforcement community has the intelligence they need to defeat hate and terror in Florida," Dyer was quoted by the Orlando Sentinel as saying.

Rick Swearingen, FDLE’s commission, also supports the request.

“The 46 counterterrorism positions funded by the Governor’s recommended budget will serve a critical role in protecting Florida families from the evil of terrorism," Swearingen said.

The 46 new positions would include a supervisor and 38 special agents. The other positions would be filled by data analysts.

Orlando became the site of the worst mass shooting in modern American history in June when Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire inside the Pulse. The attack, which has been classified as an act of terror by the federal government, claimed the 49 lives Scott mentioned and left more than 50 people injured.

The 2017-18 budget won’t be inked until lawmakers return to Tallahassee this spring. This year’s $82 billion budget was signed by Scott in early March.

Photo courtesy of Gov. Rick Scott's Facebook page