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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.
Oct 1, 2019
PCSO’s Operation Pop-Top results in arrests of two who sold alcohol to a minor
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
On Monday, September 30, 2019, deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested two convenience store clerks after they sold alcohol to a minor. The minor is in the PCSO Explorer program, which is an organization for high school students who are interested in law enforcement.
Arrested in the latest round of compliance checks, were 48-year-old Joshi Philip, a clerk at Citgo (1193 E. Main St. in Bartow), and 19-year-old Alyssa Matthews, a clerk at Sunoco (1385 N. Broadway Ave. in Bartow).
“We are going to hold store employees accountable for selling alcohol to those under 21 years old. It’s their responsibility to check ID’s at all times. The stores and employees found in compliance did a great job following the law. We congratulate them.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Four other stores were visited and the clerks at those stores refused to sell alcohol to the minor. The four stores found to be compli
ant with Florida’s alcohol beverage sales law were:
• Circle K – 2175 East 540, Lakeland
• 7-Eleven – 6175 S. US 98, Lakeland
• RaceTrac – 1690 N. Broadway Ave, Bartow
• Circle K – 310 W Main St, Bartow