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News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

UCR 2016 stats compared to 2017
Mar 13, 2018

Crime and Crime Rate Both...

Crime in the Polk County Sheriff's Office primary law enforcement response area is down 10.4% in 201...

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Polk County News
Mar 9, 2018

Repeat offender flees PCS...

On Thursday, March 8, 2018, PCSO deputies arrested 34-year-old Eddie Steadman of Lakeland for posses...

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Melita Mendez
Mar 7, 2018

Winter Haven drug dealer ...

On Tuesday, March 6, 2018, the Grand Jury (10th Judicial Circuit) charged 49-year-old Melita Mendez ...

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Darrell Coleman Jr
Mar 6, 2018

Darrell Coleman, Jr., who...

During the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 6, 2018, 27-year-old Darrell Coleman, Jr., who had ...

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Ryan Smith
Mar 5, 2018

Knife-wielding suspect sh...

A Polk County Sheriff's deputy was forced to shoot a Lakeland suspect on Monday afternoon, March 5, ...

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Polk County News
Mar 2, 2018

Deputies arrest Winter Ha...

On Friday, March 2, 2018, at 3:03 p.m., The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested a 15-year-old Wint...

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