Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Lake Wales, Florida, in Polk County, has about 18,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Lake Wales depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the city's records page, the sheriff's reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Lake Wales public records, Polk County police reports, Lake Wales arrest records, Lake Wales warrants, Lake Wales inmate search, Lake Wales criminal records, Florida arrest records and Florida inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Lake Wales
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
Inside Lake Wales that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Lake Wales Police Department); outside it, the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also places the Highway Patrol in Polk County in Polk County; a report taken on a state highway by it comes from that agency's own records office.
The FBI's agency list also places five state agencies and one campus police department in Polk County, each with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Lake Wales Police
For Lake Wales, SearchSystems opened and checked the Lake Wales police records page at lakewalesfl.gov/947/Police-Record-Requests (page title: Police Record Requests | Lake Wales, FL), phone 863-678-4223, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
Reports from the Polk County Sheriff's Office
The Polk County Sheriff's Office is the county agency.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at 863-292-3400. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at polksheriff.org/detention/jail-inquiry (page title: Jail Inquiry | Polk County Sheriff's Office), phone 863-292-3400, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) Requires
The Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) sets the rules: an answer promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days, at a charge of the copy fees set by statute, plus a special service charge for large requests, from the agency that holds the report.
Any other county record goes through the county records request page SearchSystems verified, at polkfl.gov/about/public-records-request (page title: Public Records Request | Polk County, Florida).
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the State Attorney, 863-534-4800, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Lake Wales?
From the agency that took it. The Lake Wales police records page is at lakewalesfl.gov/947/Police-Record-Requests, phone 863-678-4223; the sheriff's reports come from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Lake Wales have to answer?
Under the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119), promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days. It may charge the copy fees set by statute, plus a special service charge for large requests.
Who has a crash report from a state highway in Lake Wales?
The state agency whose officer took it; the FBI lists the Highway Patrol in Polk County in Polk County.
How do I get a report from the Polk County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at 863-292-3400. Under the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) the answer is due promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days.
Is this the official Lake Wales website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.