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.

Aug 11, 2021

Polk County’s fourth rabies case of the year confirmed

Media Contact: Alicia Manautou, PIO

On August 10, 2021, Polk County Animal Control responded to a home on Fussell Road in Polk City, where a fox bit a man while he was working on his boat. The man fought the fox off, and when the animal charged at him again, he dispatched the fox.

The victim called Animal Control, and the Animal Control Officers collected the fox carcass and sent it to the state laboratory in Tampa for testing.

On Wednesday, August 11th, the results of the test confirmed that the fox was infected with rabies.

The victim was notified of the positive test result and has begun the appropriate medical treatment.

There have been three prior confirmed rabies cases in Polk County so far this year. This is the second case involving a fox in 2021, while the other two cases involved a bat and a racoon.