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 Meghan Petty. 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.

May 29, 2025

Bartow man arrested by PCSO, has additional warrants from multiple counties

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

47-year old Kenneth DeShawn Bailey of Bartow was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, but several more nearby counties want him too.

Bailey had Polk County felony warrants for thefts from Rural King in Lakeland and Publix in Lake Wales.

Then on Wednesday, detectives from the PCSO's Organized Retail Theft Unit caught up to Bailey as he visited the Winn Dixie store on Havendale Boulevard (Auburndale) and stole $107 worth of Gatorade.

Detectives stopped the car Bailey was in and arrested him. And then they found about $470 worth of steaks that he stole from the Publix store just a few blocks away.

Kenneth Bailey also has warrants out of Manatee County, Marion County, Hernando County, and Hillsborough County...all for theft.

Bailey has an extensive history of retail theft, and he's been to stat prison four times.