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.

Apr 14, 2023

Lakeland woman arrested after disrupting classes at Medulla Elementary School

Media Contact: Alicia Manautou, PIO

On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, Polk County Sheriff’s Office Safe Schools deputies arrested 39-year-old Ivy Mechelle Smith of Lakeland for battery on a school employee (F3), disrupting a school function (M2), and trespassing on school grounds (M2).

At around 11:00 a.m., Smith arrived at Medulla Elementary School (850 School House Road) in Lakeland and once in the main office area, she began yelling and cursing at the school staff. She was asked to calm down and stop cursing as there were several students nearby.

Smith was upset because her child had received discipline referrals from a teacher and wanted her child removed from the teacher’s classroom.

A school administrator heard the disruption and approached Smith. Smith demanded that her child be placed in another class. The administrator asked Smith to calm down, stating they would arrange a meeting to discuss her child’s behavior and the potential to be placed in another class. Smith then told the school administrator she was there to retrieve her child and walked past school staff toward the classrooms.

The school administrator followed Smith, telling her to stay in the main office and follow the proper procedures to check her child out of class. Smith continued to yell at the school administrator. She then pushed the school administrator and attempted to open a set of locked hallway doors.

When Smith realized she could not open the locked doors, she left the school building and jumped over a gate to flee from the school.

Smith then called the PCSO Emergency Communications Center. She told the Telecommunicator she was at the CVS (510 South Florida Ave.) in Lakeland and would wait for a deputies.

“There is a right way and a wrong way to present concerns to school administration. This is an example of how to go about it the wrong way. Our teachers already have the difficult task of educating our children, and we will never allow anyone to come on our school campuses in this manner, assaulting staff and disrupting classes. That conduct is a guaranteed trip to the county jail.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Smith was transported to the Polk County Jail and later released after paying a $1,500 bond.