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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 Meghan Petty. 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.

Polk County News
Dec 19, 2019

Polk County Sheriff’s Off...

PCSO detectives are investigating the shooting death of 50-year-old Raidel Armas Gonzalez of Mulberr...

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Mary Whitehead
Dec 16, 2019

Polk County School bus at...

On Friday, December 13, 2019, Polk County Sheriff's undercover narcotics detectives served a search ...

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Rafael Echeverria-Islas
Dec 12, 2019

HIDTA Task Force arrests ...

On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, the HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) task force and PCS...

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Waylon Skinner mugshot
Dec 11, 2019

Man who crashed into Stat...

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Waylon Skinner on Wednesday, December 11...

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Operation Santas Naughty list poster
Dec 11, 2019

Polk County Sheriff’s Off...

Over six days, undercover detectives in the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Vice Unit conducted a...

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Picture of a raccoon
Dec 6, 2019

Eleventh case of rabies c...

On Wednesday, December 4, 2019, PCSO Animal Control responded Towering Pines Drive in Lakeland, in r...

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