For years, officers have trained by shooting at stationary targets. A big step was popup targets as officers moved through training buildings. Today training can be much more realistic. The Polk County Sheriff’s office spends considerable time training officers. Just before the Thanksgiving holiday the department added a tool to improve that training. Imagine a [...]
Lakeland Police Department officers stopped a city bus this afternoon as a 911 call indicated an armed man was threatening a passenger. Neil Dekle, 23, was arrested after a brief struggle with police. The incident began at 4 pm when a teenage girl boarded a city bus at 2410 North Crystal Lake Drive. According to [...]
The Lakeland Police Department have released a police artist sketch of a suspect in the December 6, 2009 shooting of Florida Southern College freshman Andrew Tuccinardi.
This morning Sikes Elementary Principal Corey Swindler was booked into the Polk County Jail on seven charges ranging from “Sexual battery” to “Lewd or lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of persons less than 16 years of age.” A spokesman for the sheriff’s office issued the following release: 38-year-old Corey Lynn Swindler, principal [...]
On July 4, 2009 our house was broken into through a window in the back. The thief was able to use a knife to bust through the window, climbed into the window by standing on our grill and then steal…a LOT of our stuff. He took everything from computers to electronics to our vacuum cleaner, [...]
As a member of the fourth estate, we receive the media alerts from the Lakeland Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Some we'll follow up and some we read for background and move on. There simply isn't time to cover every story when you're part of the not-for-profit press. However, there are the occasional alerts we feel readers would find interesting. We've presented a few in the past, and will continue to do so when appropriate. Please understand that the text inside was written by the PCSO, and is presented for your information....
The Lakeland Police Department is changing their beats to improve officer assignment and response flexibility. In the past, LPD utilized smaller single officer assigned beats. Two or three officers will be assigned to each of the new zones. LPD Lieutenant Jody Sisson, who participated in the remapping project, says the new beats allow officers to work together in between calls to target problem areas.
The Lakeland City truck stolen the morning of April 28th was found approximately 12 hours later by a Lakeland Police Department officer. It was 3.2 miles South of the location of the theft. LPD reports the vehicle appeared ransacked, but drivable. The doors were unlocked, keys were left on the floor board, and personal property software were missing from the vehicle.
The city water utilities division needs your help. It seems the driver didn't listen to any of the many Lakeland Police Department reminders, and left the keys in a city truck while he ran into a convenience store. As you've deduced, the truck was gone when the city employee ran back out. The truck was stolen this morning from the 2000 block of East Edgewood Drive. Based on the description, we believe it is the location inside:
The Lakeland Police Department would like to remind you not to drink and drive this holiday season. View the PSA inside...
At about 2:25 today the Mid-Florida Federal Credit Union, located at 2105 New Tampa Hwy was robber. The Lakeland Police Department would like your help identifying the suspect pictured at left. The bank robber was described as a black male, 6’03” to 6’05”, 25-35 years of age, 200 to 215 pounds, with gold teeth on lower jaw. The suspect passed a note demanding money and fled by foot to the Northwest. Witnesses did not report seeing a weapon. He escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. If you think you know the person pictured, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS, or LPD Detective Tye Thompson at 863.834.8955. Click the photo for a larger image.
Yes, you can get money for your guns. Check in the couch, look under your car seat, grab that rifle off your neighbor's gun rack, pull out that pistol with the serial number filed off that you were saving for a special occasion. They're all worth $50. The Lakeland Police Department has decided to host their first "gun buy back" meet and greet. While supplies last, LPD will trade your oily old guns for...
You might recognize this grill from our August feature on Goodfellas Grills. If you see it parked behind a neighbor's house you might want to give the police a call. Denis Baldwin, owner of Goodfellas Grills, reported the grill stolen yesterday. Baldwin said a neighbor saw a suspicious truck around 6 am. Baldwin said the neighbor reported three men guys got out of the truck. It appears they merely busted the look, hooked up the grill and drove off with it.
Police responding to complaints about a local businessman found themselves in a foot race. Dave's Custom Driveways contacted residents to paint driveways and install flooring. Customers complained the company owners, Dave McDonnell and his wife Marsha McDonnell, collected partial payments and then failed to complete projects.
When the Lakeland Police have certain breaking news they send an alert to the media. It’s always just the information LPD has that covers the facts as they’re known. It includes instructions for further contact, and gives the media an idea when additional information might be forthcoming. About 30 minutes ago LPD released they were [...]
12:50: I will post more information as I get it. 12:55: The Ledger is reporting that a fired PCC Winter Haven employee claimed to return with a gun. I’ve spoken with people on the campus. They are closing the facilities and leaving orderly. The order came through with security and school officials walking around telling [...]
Everyone should know by now they have to take off their shoes (and socks?) while going through airport security. But who wants to walk barefoot on nasty carpet or tile? Not me for sure. Recently while at The Tampa Airport, they have come up with a solution and I plan on keeping these. Surprisingly enough [...]
Bio: The short line? Father, husband, writer. My online presence is primarily through as the editor, writer, and occasional photographer for the news sites, Lakeland Local, a sampling of the news, concerns, and events for Lakeland, Florida, and Metro i4 News, which covers the Interstate 4 corridor in Central Florida. Both sites feature the work of myself and other contributors. As a hobby, I manage a forum and some web sites that feature a pulp fiction series written by Lester Dent -- Doc Savage Organized, Doc Savage Info, and Flearun.
