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 11, 2024

PCSO deputies deliver expecting parents to the hospital during Hurricane Milton

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

While the strong winds of Hurricane Milton battered Polk County on Thursday, October 10, 2024, deputies stepped in for medics and delivered a woman in labor to the hospital.

Ambulances are unsafe to drive during times of strong winds, so when a 911 call was made at about 3:07 am to the PCSO's Emergency Communications Center saying that the expectant mother was going into labor, PCSO deputies responded.

Deputy Sheriff Calderin drove expectant parents Zenia and Javier to a local hospital while another family member rode with Deputies Goolsby and Jones.

At 1:30 pm that afternoon, baby Jade was born.

The deputies returned later that day to check on the family and got to meet the little girl.