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.

Jul 26, 2019

Sixth case of rabies in 2019 confirmed in Polk County

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

The Polk County Sheriff's Office Animal Control Section confirmed on Friday, July 26, 2019, the sixth positive rabies case in Polk County for the year.

On Wednesday, July 24, 2019, PCSO received a call from a Waverly dog owner whose boxer had a bat in its mouth. When the boxer dropped the bat, the woman killed the bat with a shovel.

Animal Control collected the bat and sent it away for rabies testing.

The bat was confirmed positive for rabies two days later.

The dog was currently vaccinated for rabies and obtained a rabies booster.

There have been five prior confirmed rabies cases in Polk County so far this year.