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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.
Mar 12, 2019
Operation Pop Top leads to one arrest in Highland City; ten stores refused to sell alcohol to minors
Media Contact: Sherrie Morgan, PIO
“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, 26-year-old Alicia Charriez of Lakeland, sold an alcoholic beverage to our 17-year-old Explorer while working at the Marathon Store located at 3017 US Highway South in Highland City. Charriez 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 with Florida beverage laws:
1. Lulu’s Café and Fuel, 78 S 5th Street, Eagle Lake.
2. Chevron, 558 US Hwy 17, Eagle Lake.
3. Racetrac, 11023 Hwy 17, Eagle Lake.
4. Citgo, 4660 US Hwy 17, Bartow.
5. Circle K, 310 W. Main Street, Bartow.
6. 7-Eleven, 1020 US Hwy 98 S., Bartow.
7. Sunoco, 1385 Broadway Avenue, Bartow.
8. Racetrac, 1690 Broadway Avenue, Bartow.
9. 7-Eleven, 6175 US Hwy 98 S., Highland City.
10. Racetrac, 4285 US Hwy 98, Highland City.
“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