NEW CLASSES FOR THE NEW YEAR!

Please join us in congratulating our outstanding canine team Deputy Jacob Durrance and bloodhound Chase! 

Deputy Durrance posted this to his personal Facebook page: 
"Today, I had the honor of attending Florida Missing Children's Day at the state capital. Chase and I were awarded the 2017 Jimmy Ryce K-9 Trailing Team of the Year. This is the most prestigious award a handler can earn, I am so blessed and humbled to earn it. I owe this honor to a lot of people: The Jimmy Ryce Center for providing Chase to the Sheriff's Office, Lake Bloodhound Kennels for raising Chase, Deputy Terry Roberts for laying a great foundation of training in Chase, all of the many instructors with whom we have worked, all the volunteers who ran training tracks for us, the Polk County Sheriff's Office for always supporting our needs, my partner Deputy David Butler for all of his help, and all of my family and friends. Thank you all!"

Congratulations to this years' winners of Law Enforcement Task Force of the Year award, presented at the 2017 Florida Missing Children's Day ceremony in Tallahassee. Lt. Governor Carlos López-Cantera and First Lady Ann Scott, with Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen, presented the award to this team during this annual event that is held to remember Florida's missing children, recognize the state's efforts in child protection, and educate Floridians on child safety and abduction prevention.

This Child Abduction Response Team, comprised of PCSO Sergeants and Detectives, FDLE and FBI agents, and FHP Troopers, led an abduction investigation that covered three states: Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee, to find a young girl who was taken from her home. AMBER alerts were issued in all three states. The girl was recovered in Tennessee and flown back to Florida by the FDLE Aviation Unit.

To read the FDLE news release about this event, click here: http://bit.ly/2BuxgKM

On Monday, December 11, 2017, Sheriff Grady Judd and the Polk Sheriff's Charities, Inc., board members presented a check in the amount of $100,000 to the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches at the Youth Villa facility in Bartow.

The donation will fund a "Polk Sheriff's Charities Scholarship House." The house will help the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches (FSYR) staff assist recipients of the scholarship in transitioning from the structured environment to independent living.

"The youth and the staff at the Youth Villa in Bartow are very special to us, and we want to take some of the money we've raised through our charity to help them succeed even further, beyond the program. We're very excited to have this opportunity to change the lives of some very special young adults. Thank you for your ongoing support of our charity - it is through your contributions at our annual events, such as Jeepin' With Judd and Bustin Clays With Sheriff Judd, that donations like these are made possible. Together, we are making a positive difference!" - Grady Judd, Sheriff

For more information about the Scholarship House please read the news release: http://bit.ly/2yhLkS8

On Saturday morning, December 16, 2017, Polk County Sheriff's deputies, along with other local law enforcement agencies, participated in the 12th Annual Motorcycle Escort for Wreaths Across America. They left from Saddle Creek Logistics in Lakeland to begin the one hour drive north to Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. The wreaths were then placed on the graves of our fallen military heroes. An unofficial count of 668 motorcycles participated in the caravan.

Polk County faces a constant battle of vehicle burglaries.  Criminals walk through parking lots and/or residential areas lifting up on door handles checking for unlocked vehicles. Securing your vehicle(s) makes it much harder for criminals to get into your vehicle, and most often will completely deter the criminal from committing a crime. To help reduce your chances of a vehicle burglary, keep the following tips in mind.

One of the most effective ways to prevent vehicle burglaries is to secure your vehicle at all times. At home, park your vehicle in the garage; lock the doors and close the windows for added security. If parking in the garage is not an option, to lock the doors and close the windows. Park vehicles close to the residence. Install motion sensor lights to the exterior of your home to alert if anyone walks near the residence or vehicle. Also, activate your vehicle's alarm system, if applicable. Otherwise, consider installing an anti-theft device. 

Be sure to remove valuables such as GPS devices, laptops or tablets, cell phones, MP3's/IPOD's, chargers, wallets, purses or loose change - as well as the garage door remote to deter a criminal's interest. For items that must remain inside the vehicle, store them in the glove compartment or in the trunk before you arrive at your destination (including removing or storing your GPS device).

Consider parking close to your destination, in heavily traveled areas with adequate lighting, and/or close to surveillance cameras. Avoid parking next to vans or trucks which obstruct your view. If you are unsure if your vehicle is safe, park it in a different place where you will be more comfortable. 

Be cautious when you are shopping; especially if you place items in your vehicle and then return to the store. Criminals may be watching you and waiting for you to re-enter the store, so they can break into your vehicle and steal your recently bought items. Sometimes criminals will work in teams. One criminal may follow you around while the others burglarize your vehicle. In this situation, it is best to move your vehicle to a different location in the parking lot before returning to the store. 

Never leave your keys in the vehicle or leave your vehicle running while unattended; even if you only plan to be out of your vehicle for a few seconds and think nothing could happen. If using valet services where you must leave your keys with an attendant, consider leaving only the vehicle key. Ask for the attendant's name and remember some of their personal characteristics. Should something be stolen or destroyed in your vehicle, you will be able to provide details about the attendant to law enforcement when reported. 

Remember, if you see something, say something no matter how insignificant it may appear to be, call the Polk County Sheriff's Office non-emergency number at 863-298-6200 and report it.