Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Polk County, Florida, has about 853,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Polk County depends on where the incident happened: the Polk County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county, the agency that reports for the city inside a city. 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 sheriff's reports, the cities' reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Polk County public records, Polk County arrest records, Polk County warrants, Polk County inmate search, Polk County criminal records, Florida arrest records and Florida inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Polk County
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.
In Polk County that is the Polk County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county and for any city that contracts with it for police service, and the agency that reports for a city where the city has one of its own.
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 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.
Reports from the City Agencies in Polk County
The nine cities the FBI lists in Polk County with a reporting agency of their own, with the police records page SearchSystems verified where the city has a guide:
- Lakeland: 2,858 arrests reported for 2025. The Lakeland police records page is at lakelandgov.net/departments/lakeland-police-department/table-of-org..., phone 863.834.6936 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Winter Haven.
- Haines City.
- Bartow. The Bartow police department's page is at cityofbartow.net/239/Police (verified September 25, 2026).
- Auburndale. The Auburndale police department's page is at auburndalefl.com/apd-contact-us, phone (863) 965-5555 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Lake Wales. The Lake Wales police records page is at lakewalesfl.gov/947/Police-Record-Requests, phone 863-678-4223 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Davenport.
- Lake Alfred.
- Lake Hamilton.
A city on that list is reported separately whether the officers are the city's own or the sheriff's under contract; the FBI's list does not say which.
What the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) Requires
Under the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) the agency must answer a request promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days, and it may charge the copy fees set by statute, plus a special service charge for large requests. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
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 Polk County?
From the agency whose officer took it: the Polk County Sheriff's Office for its own arrests, or the agency that reports for the city where it happened. Under the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119) the answer is due promptly and in good faith; the statute sets no number of days.
How long does an agency in Polk County 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 Polk County?
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 Polk County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.