Cut in Deputies Worries Some in Polk City

Due to some tough decisions having to be made regarding the city budget, Polk City Officials have also had to make cuts in the city's law enforcement.

The Lakeland Ledger has been covering this story.  Here is a link to the article Cut in Deputies Worries Some in Polk City.

There was an editorial comment letter from one of our Polk City residents also posted in the Lakeland Ledger this morning.  Here's a link to that letter: Polk City Unprotected

Members of our group have also spoken to Vice Mayor/Interim Acting City Manager, Mrs. Trudy Block, regarding this issue.  It is her understanding, after her discussions with Sheriff Grady Judd, the Polk County Sheriff's Department will try to make up for some of the shortages in patrols in the area, due to the City having only one officer on it's payroll for 40 hours per week.

If the people's vote in a special election regarding the future of the city decided to dissolve Polk City, there would no longer be any Polk City Police Department.  The Polk County Sheriff's Department would patrol this area instead, like they had in the past when Polk City did not have it's own Police Department.  From experience living in this area before we were annexed into the city, then living within the city limits without a Polk City Police Department, and most recently having a Polk City Police Department, over all it has always been a pretty safe place to live.  Granted, we did go through a time, when the break ins in our area were on the rise, but that seems to have been reduced.  When we did have an increase in crime in our neighborhood, we had increased Polk City Police coverage.  If this area began to show a growing increase in crime, my guess is that the Polk County Sheriff's Department would try to do the same to help protect us, like they have in the past.