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.

Dec 18, 2024

PCSO helicopter pilot's actions leads to arrest of prolific criminal

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

A prolific Polk County criminal is back in a jail cell thanks to the work of a PCSO helicopter pilot.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 1:43 pm, helicopter pilot Arman was flying over Rifle Range Road and Bomber Road in Wahneta, when he noticed a motorcycle committing traffic violations. Arman radioed to patrol units on the ground and directed them to the motorcycle's location.

A traffic stop was conducted on the motorcycle which had no license plate. The driver told deputies that his name was Charles Phillips.

Deputies discovered that the driver's real name was 39-year old Joe Edward Phillips, and the motorcycle had been reported stolen out of Osceola County on December 28, 2021.

Joe Phillips' driver's license had been suspended in 2023; he also did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his license.

Joe Phillips was arrested and taken to the Polk County Jail where he was charged with: grand theft motor vehicle, driving while license suspended (3rd subsequent offense), providing false ID to LEO, driving an unregistered vehicle, and failure to have required endorsement.

Joe Phillips has a prior criminal history that includes arrests for: burglary, motor vehicle theft, grand theft, criminal mischief, and petit theft. He has been to state prison four times for a total of 9.5 years.