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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.
Feb 13, 2019
Operation Pop Top leads to one arrest in Davenport; ten stores refused to sell alcohol to minors
Media Contact: Sherrie Morgan,PIO
On Tuesday, February 12, 2019, PCSO school resource deputies conducted “Operation Pop Top”— an ongoing effort to enforce laws related to the sale of alcohol to minors.
Deputies send high school teenagers into stores to see if they can buy alcohol. The students are PCSO Explorers, which is a program designed for students who are interested in learning about law enforcement careers.
During the operation, 50-year-old Laura Franklin, sold an alcoholic beverage to our 18-year-old Explorer while working at the 7-Eleven store located at 43332 US Hwy 27 South in Davenport. Franklin looked at the Explorer’s state identification card and still made the sale. She was arrested and charged with selling alcohol to a person under 21 and transported to the Polk County Jail.
The following stores were found to be in compliance:
1. Circle K 45489 US Hwy 27 Davenport FL 33897
2. 7-Eleven 3141 Ronald Reagan Parkway, Davenport FL 33896
3. 7-Eleven 44249 US Hwy 27, Davenport FL 33896
4. Davenport Chevron 44039 US Hwy 27, Davenport FL, 33896
5. Sunoco 44009 US Hwy 27 Davenport FL 33896
6. Loves 45000 US Hwy 27 Davenport FL 33897
7. Polk City Marathon 6000 Hwy 557, Polk City FL.
8. Circle K 101 Polo Park Blvd East Davenport FL 33897
9. Circle K 2444 US Hwy 27 North, Davenport FL 33897
10. WAWA 43582 US Hwy 27 South, Davenport, FL 33897
“We are going to hold store employees accountable for selling alcohol to those under 21 years old. It’s their responsibility to check ID’s at all times. The stores and employees found in compliance did a great job following the law. We congratulate them.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff