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 Alicia Manautou. 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.

Sep 9, 2021

Fifth case of rabies in Polk County confirmed

Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, Administrator

On September 5, 2021, Polk County Animal Control responded to a home on Old Bartow Eagle Lake Road in Bartow, where the family dog was exposed to a bat while being walked by its owner.

The dog's owner called Animal Control, and the Animal Control Officers collected the bat carcass and sent it to the state laboratory in Tampa for testing.

On Wednesday, September 8th, the results of the test confirmed that the bat was infected with rabies.

The dog is vaccinated, but out of an abundance of caution, will remain quarantined inside its home for 45 days.

This is Polk County’s fifth case of rabies in 2021. The previous cases involved a bat, a raccoon, and two foxes.