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 26, 2024

Operation Pop Top: Davenport sales clerk arrested for illegal alcohol sale

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office visited ten convenience stores in the Davenport area on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, checking to make sure the stores check identifications and refuse sales of alcoholic beverages to people under 21 years of age, as Florida law requires. The checks were part of the PCSO's ongoing Operation Pop Top campaign.

One store failed the check: 7-Eleven, at 6023 US 17/92 North in Davenport.

The sales clerk sold an alcoholic beverage to a 17-year old PCSO Cadet who was assisting the deputies in their visits.

34-year old Amber Jean Green of Kissimmee was subsequently arrested and charged with Selling an Alcoholic Beverage to a Person Under 21, a misdemeanor.

"If you're a sales clerk in Polk County, it is your duty to check identifications of customers purchasing alcoholic beverages. If you sell alcoholic beverages to someone under 21 years of age, it is our duty to charge you for that crime, which is what happened in this case." - Grady Judd, Sheriff.