January 2026

A note from Sheriff Grady Judd...

Dear Friend,

Happy new year, everyone! I hope you and your loved ones were able to spend some quality time together during the holidays and that you are all just as excited about a new year filled with new opportunities as I am.

One great new opportunity for us here at the Sheriff’s Office is our ability to deliver excellent customer service with a sense of urgency to the residents in the Poinciana area—and other areas in east Polk County, including Davenport, Haines City, Lake Hamilton, and Dundee—from our brand-new, state-of-the-art sixth patrol district, called The Ridge District.

This new district was not created by bricks and mortar alone. It was created by foresight, by planning, and by a shared commitment to service. Polk County is now home to 852,878 residents. In just the last six years alone, our population has grown by more than 145,000 people. This district exists because leaders chose to look forward and invest before the need became a crisis. Our county commissioners have made public safety their number one priority – they understand that if you’re not safe and you don’t feel safe, nothing else matters.

We opened the Ridge District on Monday, January 5, 2026, and so far the transition has been seamless. It took a lot of hard work by a lot of wonderful people at the Sheriff’s Office to ensure we had adequate supervision and staffing, as well as calltakers and dispatchers, to start answering calls for service starting at 6:00 a.m. that morning.

The address for the Ridge District is 9530 Marigold Avenue, Poinciana, and the main number to call is 863-496-3301. Please let us know if we can do anything for you, and thank you as always for your support.

Grady Judd, Sheriff

Look for these new school crossing guards at a crosswalk near you

Three new school crossing guards joined the PCSO in December. Please watch out for them and the children they'll be assisting.

New members hired in December

We would like to introduce you to the newest members at the Polk County Sheriff's Office who joined us last month.

Join the Polk County Sheriff's Office

If you want to work for the greatest Sheriff's Office in the nation, we have great news - we're ALWAYS hiring and we have excellent benefits! Check out our website for more information:

https://www.polksheriff.org/careers

Right now, the PCSO is offering a starting salary for deputy sheriffs & detention deputies of $65,040.35!

For someone who is currently not a sworn law enforcement officer (not already trained/sworn/certified), the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will sponsor you under the Deputy Sheriff Trainee Academy Program.

While attending the Polk State College, Center for Public Safety Academy (approximately six months) the Sheriff’s Office will provide a monthly stipend of $3,000 dollars per candidate (first and last month pro-rated).

Individuals selected will receive a full scholarship for tuition, books, uniforms, and exam cost.

The New Ridge District Command Center

is Open for Business

On Monday, January 5, 2026, the new Ridge District in Poinciana began operations.

Sheriff Grady Judd was joined by the County Commissioners and many others Monday morning for a ribbon cutting ceremony that officially started this new era.

The new office was necessary for the Polk County Sheriff's Office to better serve the growing population on the county's east side.

For the past fifteen years, residents in Poinciana, Haines City, Dundee, Davenport, Four Corners, Loughman and even parts of Polk City, Lake Alfred, and Auburndale were covered by the Northeast District Office located near I-4 and Dunson Road.

The newest district office is located at 9530 Marigold Avenue in Poinciana, and this will serve as the base of operations for the Ridge District which will serve Poinciana, Dundee, Haines City, and Davenport.

If you need to contact the Ridge District Office, you can call 863-496-3301.

The Northeast District Office will continue serving northern Davenport areas, Loughman, and Four Corners.

48 DUI Arrests made by the PCSO in December

Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested 48 people for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol and/or drugs last month.

Of these arrests, 14 of them were involved in traffic crashes.

One driver had a 9-year old child in the car when she crashed, and another driver had an 8-year old child with him when he was stopped. The drivers were also charged with abuse/negligence of a child.

Six of these suspects are in the United States illegally, and are awaiting to be picked up by ICE for deportation.

These 48 arrests were PCSO arrests only, and does not include arrests in Polk County made by any of the city police departments or the Florida Highway Patrol.

If you see someone who appears to be driving while impaired, please call 9-1-1 immediately.

Social Media Spotlight for January:

This month's Social Media Spotlight shines on the PCSO's Instagram page.

For those not familiar, Instagram is a platform for sharing photos and videos.

The PCSO has accumulated more than 358-thousand followers on the Instagram platform.

Among the most common types of posts are: Sheriff Judd's Morning Briefing videos, promotions and recaps of PCSO events, entertaining and amusing short videos, and photos of positive community interactions.

If you're on Instagram, be sure to follow the PCSO. Search for us @polksheriff.

Below is a complete list of all of the PCSO pages on the various social media platforms.

The PCSO on social media:

Facebook @polkcountysheriff

YouTube @polksheriff

Instagram @polksheriff Threads@polksheriff

X @PolkCoSheriff

TikTok @polkflsheriff

Nextdoor and LinkedIn

and on the web at www.PolkSheriff.org

Words of Wisdom from the Crime Prevention Unit

Beginning the New Year with responsible choices can save lives.

Driving after drinking or while under the influence of drugs endangers everyone on the road. One careless decision can lead to lifelong consequences.

Protect yourself and others by making safety your top priority and following these tips:

· Plan a safe ride home in advance before drinking by choosing a designated driver or arranging reliable transportation such as Uber, Lyft, taxi, or public transportation.

· Never drive after consuming alcohol, even if you feel fine. Alcohol can impair judgment, coordination, and reaction time without you realizing it.

· Do not drive while under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter medications that may cause drowsiness or slow reflexes.

· Always wear your seatbelt, no matter how short the trip. Seatbelts greatly reduce the risk of serious injury or death.

· Look out for friends, family, and others by stepping in to prevent anyone who is impaired from driving and helping them find a safe alternative.

· Be a responsible host by encouraging guests to plan their transportation ahead of time and by offering non-alcoholic beverage options.

· Stay fully focused while driving by avoiding distractions such as texting, phone use, eating, or adjusting vehicle controls.

· Remain alert for impaired or reckless drivers and maintain a safe following distance to protect yourself and others on the road.

· Trust your judgment and make smart choices if it is not safe to drive, choose another way home.

Remember Sheriff Grady Judd’s advice: make good decisions to avoid a “trip to Grady Judd's B&B,” where one poor choice can land you behind bars.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office offers free programs such as Personal Safety, Youth and Drugs, Fatal Vision DUI (a driving impaired simulator). If you would like more information or to schedule a presentation.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office also offers other free programs such as Parent Internet Safety, Internet Safety for Elementary, and Internet Safety for Tween/Teens, and Stranger Danger programs. If you would like more information or to schedule a presentation, please call the Crime Prevention Unit at 863-298-6677 or email us at crimeprevention@polksheriff.org.

PCSO Firearms Safety Course

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is conducting a Firearms Safety Course/Concealed Weapons Class on Saturday, January 10th, from 8:00 am - Noon. If registration for the class fills up, a second afternoon class will be added for 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm.

Cost of the class is $70; with a portion of the proceeds to go to Polk Sheriff's Charities, Inc., and the cost is non-refundable. An additional $12.50 will be charged to those who don't bring their own ammunition.

This class fulfills the requirements by the FL Department of Agriculture need to obtain a concealed weapons permit. Even though permitless-carry in Florida went into effect in 2023, there are still benefits to having a permit (reciprocity in states which don't allow for concealed carry without a permit, and permit holders are exempt from the 3-day waiting period when purchasing new firearms).

Any questions about the CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, please call Sergeant Bennett or Sergeant Caratsole at the PCSO Training Section at 863-534-7200, during normal office hours.

*********YOU MUST CALL 863-298-6242, during normal business hours (Mon-Fri, 8-5) to reserve your seat. When you call, you will be given further instruction about where to go for the training.**********

*we will have handguns available for the hands-on portion of the course, but we prefer you bring your own if possible.

Any questions about this course? Please call 863-534-7200 during normal office hours and ask to speak with Sergeant Daniel Bennett or Sergeant Keith Caratsole.

Did you make it to Ho! Ho! Ho! with the Po-Po?

We saw a lot of happy faces at our annual Ho! Ho! Ho! with the Po-Po on December 6th, at our Northeast District Office. Well, at least until the heavy rain came down.

We want to thank every one who came out, and also thank Santa Claus and his elves, all of the amazing vendors, Star Wars and other cosplay characters, the DJ, and the fantastic dance troupe performers!

Check out photos from the event by clicking here.

We are already working on HHHWTPP for 2026.

Community Notes

During a Senior Staff meeting at the Polk County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Sheriff Judd presented Sheriff's Commendations to a few citizens for their outstanding actions.

Back in December of 2022, Hunter Robinson was riding his bicycle in Winter Haven when he witnessed suspicious behavior-- a 35-year old man luring a 6-year old girl into a treehouse.

Hunter reported it immediately to the girl's family members, and the man was arrested.

Eventually, the man's case went to trial, and Hunter's testimony during the trial was extremely valuable toward getting the man convicted.

On September 13, 2025, a PCSO deputy was chasing a suspect through the parking lot of a Lakeland Publix.

Mr. Kennieth Brewer saw this occurring and he reached out and grabbed the suspect and held him until the deputy was able to secure him in handcuffs.

Mr. Brewer said he intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.

Rick Johnson has been the City Manager for Mulberry since 2012. Now he can add a new title to his name-- Honorary Deputy Sheriff for the Polk County Sheriff's Office. He was sworn-in by Sheriff Grady Judd, in front of Juana Ayala the Assistant City Manager, John Wright the Utilities Director, and Rick's son.

PCSO's Animal Control can help you find your furever friend

When adopting from Animal Control, your new pet will be sterilized, vaccinated, and microchipped, and checked and treated for worms, fleas, and other parasites, and will have a valid Polk County license tag.

Your new pet’s microchip can be registered with a pet recovery service for only $15.00 - the necessary paperwork is included in your adoption packet.

Did you know?

Did you know that the Sheriff’s Office works in partnership with Polk County Public Schools to present the “Teen Driver Challenge,” and all it costs is twelve hours of your time?

Young drivers will drive on a state-of-the-art simulator and will also drive on the PCSO Training Track to experience different conditions and situations.

Learn more about how to sign up for the Teen Driver Challenge on the PCSO website.

On January 9, 1981, Deputy Theron "T.A." Burnham responded to an area off of Dranefield Road near the Lakeland Regional Airport in an attempt to locate a suspect involved in a reported abduction.

Unknown to deputies at the time, the suspect had already shot and killed two innocent people: William Evans and Darrell Beasley.

At approximately 4:20 a.m., Deputy Burnham encountered the suspect walking on Dranefield Road, west of Airport Road. A struggle ensued between Deputy Burnham and the suspect, and Deputy Burnham was shot and killed with his own service revolver by the suspect.

Deputy TA Burnham was 27 years old at the time of his death.

The suspect was convicted and sentenced to death in September of 1981, but his death sentence was never carried out. He eventually died in prison in 2023.

On January 16, 1922 (104 years ago), Deputy Sheriff Oliver Thomas Smith was shot and killed at approximately 11:30 PM, in the Sumica settlement (near Indian Lake Estates in southeast Polk County).

According to newspaper accounts, a Hartzog Sawmill employee was accused of shooting at a commissary manager in the Nalaka settlement (near Avon Park).

While attempting to locate the suspect at his home in Sumica, Deputy Smith was shot and fatally wounded.

The shooter escaped into the woods and remained there for several days before finally giving himself up.

Deputy Smith was 29 years old at the time of his death.