DeSantis warns NYC police officers critical race theory 'teaching kids to demonize,' 'hate' law enforcement

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited New York City on Monday, telling police officers there are other states that "will value your service" compared to liberal-run areas of the country he says are pushing "critical race theory teaching kids to demonize and to hate law enforcement." 

Kicking off his pro-law enforcement tour in Staten Island – the only New York City borough to support former President Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections – DeSantis told a crowd that while the Big Apple saw a 23% surge in major crime in 2022, Florida’s crime rate is at a 50-year low. 

"Florida right now has a crime rate that's at a 50-year low," DeSantis said. "Why do we have a 50-year low? Why is crime a big issue in New York or Chicago or all these other places? And I wish I could tell you that, like Floridians are just so much better. But it's not the reason. It's not. The reason is, is we support strong policies to keep our communities safe and we back the blue, and we support their mission, and we back it up with money and all kinds of stuff to be able to do it." 

"Let's get communities all across this country to recognize the vital role that the people that wear the uniform play. Let's put this defund the police movement on the ash heap of history. And that's really the first step in correcting what's gone wrong," DeSantis said. "This idea of no cash bail, and you just release them right back on to the street. 

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"And I read that New York is the only state that doesn't allow judges to consider when they're making a bail determination whether someone's a danger to the community," he added. "That's like one of the most important things that you need to be considering when you're making these bail determinations." 

DeSantis has yet to formally throw himself in the running for the Republican 2024 ticket. 

He was joined in Staten Island by former Rep. Lee Zeldin, who nearly ousted New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in November. 

"If you're disenchanted, if you don't think things are going to turn around wherever you are, not just in New York or wherever. Just know that there's a state that's doing it right. There's a state that that will value your service," DeSantis said of police frustrated with policies in the blue stronghold state. 

The governor has made recent headlines for signing legislation to ban the instruction of critical race theory in public schools, rejecting an AP course on African American studies and introducing a Digital Bill of Rights that focuses on protecting Floridians’ privacy from Big Tech companies. 

"We fought critical theory across the board," DeSantis said. "They actually are teaching kids to demonize and to hate law enforcement. They will teach these kids that law enforcement are looking to mow down innocent people. And they're creating, I think, a hatred for people that wear the uniform. That is simply unacceptable." 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, took a jab at DeSantis ahead of the planned visit. 

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"Welcome to NYC, @GovRonDeSantis, a place where we don’t ban books, discriminate against our LGBTQ+ neighbors, use asylum seekers as props, or let the government stand between a woman and health care," Adams tweeted. "We’re happy to teach you something about values while you’re here."

The Florida governor's next stop on the tour is in Pennsylvania Monday afternoon. 

Fox News’ Jennifer Johnson contributed to this report.