News and Investigations

Back by popular demand is the Polk County Sheriff's Office's annual Haunted Jail Tour, located at 455 North Broadway in Bartow (the Lawrence W. Crow, Jr. building). THIS IS OUR FINAL TOUR SO YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT!
 
This year’s spooky theme is "Reign of Fear". 
 
For a $15.00 donation to the United Way of Central Florida, you can take the haunted tour. For children under 10 years old it costs just $5.00 per tour. If you think the tour will be too scary for your little ones, don’t worry – we will have PCSO members there volunteering to watch your kids in a safe place while you tour.
 
This is a family friendly kid-oriented event! We’re shutting down Church Street for a street carnival, with arts & crafts booths, games & contests, bounce houses, and our favorite – DUNK THE DEPUTY! Our school resource deputies have volunteered to sit in a dunk tank! 
 
If being scared makes you hungry or thirsty – no problem! Newman BBQ Catering & Events will be there, and we expect to have more food vendors lined up soon. Special thanks to Sunbelt Rentals of Lakeland for lighting it all up for us, and Big E Collectables for providing and setting up decorations for us. 
 
The Haunted Jail Tour will be running 4 nights – Friday & Saturday, October 18th and 19th, and Friday & Saturday, October 25th and 26th.
 
Be sure to tag our page and use #HJT2024 with your videos and pics.
 

HERE ARE SOME FAQs ABOUT THE TOUR:
 
How can I buy tickets? The tickets for the tour are not presold, they are sold in-person at the event until the 10 pm cutoff. The Dunk Tank tickets are $5.00 for 5 throws. 
 
What kind of payment will be accepted? The Haunted Jail Tour tickets, the Kid’s Carnival Games, the Bounce House, the Dunk Your Deputy tank, and refreshments can be purchased with cash or credit card.  
 
Where is parking? There will be signs leading the way to the appropriate parking area. The first floor of the parking garage is going to be blocked off in the event that it rains. If it rains, we will still be able to host the tours and have everything from the street moved to the garage. 
 
How long does the tour last? It is at the pace of the individual but it usually lasts about 10 to 15 minutes. 
 
Can anyone volunteer? We are allowing juniors & seniors from the county high schools to volunteer for their community service hours. Please email thammonds@polksheriff.org to see what volunteer spots are open, and a parent/guardian must sign a waiver before a student can volunteer. 
 
What if my child is too scared to go through the tour? If your child is too scared or if you do not feel your child would do well on the tour we will have agency members available to watch your child until the tour is complete. They will be located near the end of the tour and will only be watched by members of the Sheriff's Office. 
 
Can participants use their cell phones to video during the tour? Yes, however, do so at your own risk. In years' past we saw several people who lost their phones or damaged them by dropping them during the tour. 
 
Is the tour accessible for mobility challenged individuals? We will do everything we can to accommodate those who are in a wheelchair, or who use a walker, cane, or crutches, but some parts of the tour may not be accessible. If someone has mobility issues, they should advise the person at the ticket booth and we will have an agency member accompany them through the tour to make sure they get to all the areas that are accessible to them.
 
Will strobe lights be used? We will be using strobe lights which can affect those who have epilepsy or other conditions. If you are affected by strobe lights, we do not recommend going through the tour. 
 
Will we be searched before entering the tour? We do have a metal detector before participants can enter the tour. This is for the safety of the tour guests and our volunteers. No weapons of any kind (including concealed carry permit holders' firearms) are allowed in the facility. Deputies are involved in the tour and will also be in the street fair area - this will be a very safe place to hang out and have family-friendly fun.
 
Can we wear costumes? Costumes are welcome but please remember that this is a kid friendly event, so please make sure that your costume is appropriate for all ages. We recommend that if you are walking through the Haunted Jail Tour that you wear closed-toed shoes and not flip flops or sandals (sometimes toes can get stepped on when people get scared and jump or bump into each other).