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.

Oct 6, 2017

PCSO Presents The 2017 Haunted Jail Tour - "The Ghost of Calvin"

Media Contact: Horstman, Carrie

Back by popular demand, PCSO presents the annual Haunted Jail Tour benefiting The United Way of Central Florida.

From 6:00 pm through 11:00 pm, on Friday & Saturday, October 20th and 21st, and Friday & Saturday, October 27th and 28th, 2017, at the PCSO old jail located at 455 North Broadway Avenue in Bartow (across the street from Bartow P.D.), PCSO volunteers will present "The Ghost of Calvin."

For the little ones who are too young to go through the haunted jail, there will be a separate room with treats and games! Bring the whole family for a night of fun.

Food and drink will be on sale every night.

The cost to go on the tour is a $6.00 donation with all proceeds benefiting the United Way of Central Florida.

Visitors will be taken through several areas, while being entertained with stories about the mythical "ghost of Calvin" - an inmate who committed suicide in the old jail and whose ghost still haunts the area.

Special thanks to Ronn & Sharon Williams, and Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc., for donating a truckload of props, and Dr. Paul Bearer II, who filmed several videos with Sheriff Judd about the tour, and videos that will be played on the premises (we will post the videos on the PCSO Facebook in the coming weeks).

If you thought the Tour was good last year....just wait and see what we have come up with this year!!!

For more information, please contact Sergeant Victor Diaz at 407-870-3489.