Conduct a Free Polk County Mugshot Search: View Arrest Photos

Execute a Polk County mugshot search to get updated on the latest arrests in the county.

Mugshots are photographs of individuals who have been arrested or taken into custody, taken by law enforcement agencies. In Florida, these images are considered public records and anyone can access for inspection and copying as mandated by the states’ Public Records Act.

This article explains the process of how to obtain mugshots and gives an overview of the laws that surround access to such records.

Where To Access Free Mugshots

Law enforcement agencies take photographs of individuals arrested and taken into custody. In Polk County, the sheriff’s office serves as the central record repository which manages arrest and inmate records.

Furthermore, mugshots can also be accessed through the city police departments throughout the county. If an arrest occurs within city limits, the city law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest will usually provide police reports – especially if they made the arrest.

Additionally, the Florida Department of Corrections offers public access to photos of individuals incarcerated in state prisons through their online database; lastly, details of federal inmates can be tracked down via the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Guide To Finding Polk County Mugshots for Free

Mugshots can often be found at the county level, specifically through the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) by searching arrest records and via the correctional facility where the offender is being held.¹

Records can be accessed through various options: by utilizing the online search tool, sending a record request, or directly reaching out to the relevant department; additional guidance can be found in the Polk County arrest lookup instructions as well.

To begin your search, make sure you have all the necessary information about the offender, such as their full name, offense and where the arrest occurred.

Arrest and inmate records can be accessed online through the Inmate Inquiry Tool.² This tool is searchable by the offender’s name, booking date or alias. You can also select to search for all arrest records or current inmates only. Fill in the necessary fields, and then click the “Search” button.

Search results show a list of matching records. To view a mugshot, click on the specific individual’s hyperlinked booking number. Offender mugshots can be seen on the left side of the page (if available), along with additional information such as the individual’s name, alias, booking number, date of birth, physical description, location, charges, inmate status and release date.

If you can’t find their records, you can reach out to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Public Records Custodian.⁴ Send your request by email to [email protected] or directly visit the department in person at the address listed below.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Records Division
1891 Jim Keene Blvd.
Winter Haven, FL 33880

Alternatively, you may visit any of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Substations.

As another option, arrest and inmate records — including mugshots — can also be accessed from the Polk County Detention Facilities (address and contact information is provided below).

Central County Jail
2390 Bob Phillips Rd.
Bartow, FL 33830

Phone: 863.534.6123

South County Jail
1103 US Hwy. 98 West
Frostproof, FL 33823

Phone: 863.635.6920

Additionally, PCSO also partners with VINELink, an online platform that provides information about those individuals confined in jail or prison. It allows citizens to keep informed of the inmate’s status, but does not include mugshots.

Inmate Services (Bail, Bond, Visits & Contact Methods)

The Polk County Jail Division provides crucial services to help inmates stay connected with their loved ones and receive support during their time in jail.⁵

Below is a brief overview and explanation of the inmate services provided by Polk County.

Posting Bail/Bond: Similar to other counties in Florida, bond amounts in Polk County are posted by the court. To post bail or bonds, interested individuals may need to contact a licensed bondsman. For more information, reach out to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office or the court where the case is ongoing.⁶

Inmate Mail: The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSP) uses Smart Jail Mail —a digital mail system to send and receive written communications. Loved ones must create a Jail Mail account to send letters to inmates –at a nominal fee.

Notice: PCSO no longer accepts postal mail sent directly. Mail must be sent to the below address to be scanned and emailed to inmates via Smart Jail Mail. Senders must ensure that the inmate’s name and ID number are clearly visible so that the mail is sent to the right inmates.

PCSO-CO SC
PO Box 1848
Pinellas Park, Florida 33780

Legal mail shall be mailed to the following address:

Polk County Jail – Annex
2390 Bob Phillips Road
Bartow, FL 33830

Inmate Telephone System: Individuals confined in Polk County Jail can communicate with their loved ones through Securus Technologies. Inmates cannot receive calls from their families and friends but can make outgoing calls.

Adding Funds to an Inmate’s Account: Families can send money to an inmate online, via phone, money order or directly through the Polk County Lobby Kiosk.

Look Up Mugshots via the Cities Within Polk County

In addition, mugshots can also be accessed at the city level, especially for recent arrests. Arrests are generally carried out by the local law enforcement agencies –police departments.

Since Polk County’s cities do not host jail rosters that are accessible online, to begin a city-level search, interested individuals may need to send a request or contact the relevant office directly.

Accessing records maintained by police departments in Polk County varies, thus, knowing the proper procedures on how to access this information is essential. Here are some cities in the county, with the relevant procedures on how to access police photographs.

Lakeland: If the arrest occurred in the city of Lakeland, records of arrest (including mugshots) can be obtained by sending your request directly to the Lakeland Police Department Records Division.⁷

Lakeland Police Department
Records Section
219 N Massachusetts Ave.
Lakeland, Florida 33801

Email: [email protected].
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Requests aren’t free based on the fee schedule. For more information, contact the office by phone at 863.834.6936.

Winter Haven: Records of arrest in the city can be obtained from the Winter Haven Police Department.⁸ Requests must be sent to [email protected]. Alternatively, searchers can also visit the office in person at the following location:

Winter Haven Police Department
Custodian of Records – Police Matters
125 N.
Lake Silver Dr. NW, 33881

Phone: 863.291.5858

City of Bartow: To retrieve records maintained by the Bartow Police Department, records seekers must contact 863.534.5034 or directly visit the office.⁹

Bartow Police Department
450 North Broadway Ave.
Bartow, L 33830

Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

If the arrests occurred in a different city, you can search the “[City Name] Police Department Arrest Records” or similar keywords on Google or any search engine.

Mugshots are not only taken after an arrest, but also for those who are already incarcerated in prison. The below section tackles the available databases and laws to responsibly perform a prisoner mugshot search in Florida.

Viewing Prison Mugshots in FL (Federal & State)

Although Polk County offers an Inmate Inquiry Tool to look up information about incarcerated individuals, this may not offer records of those confined in the state prisons, even though the offender lives locally. Prisoners’ information – including mugshots – can be accessed by the public through the Offender Inquiry Tool provided by the Florida Department of Corrections.

Knowing the offender’s status before you start your search can elevate your search since records can be accessed based on that status.

If someone you know is currently under custody, their mugshot can be viewed through the Inmate Population Information Search.¹⁰ This database can be searched by either the prisoner’s name or DC number. Navigate the search results, then click on the specific offender, to view more information. Each prisoner’s mugshot only appears in the offender details page.

On the other hand those released, escaped, under supervision or absconder information have a separate database you can explore.

Moreover, public records maintained by the DOC can be obtained by sending an Online Record Request. You can also visit or contact the Florida Department of Correction at 850.488.7052 directly.

Records of individuals confined in federal prison can be retrieved via the Find An Inmate Tool offered by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).¹²

Note: BOP Find An Inmate Tool search results do not show federal prisoners’ mugshot.

Citizens can access these records due to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Florida Statute 119; but with some exemptions, such as privacy, security or confidentiality.¹³ Keep in mind that records obtained must be used in accordance with the regulation set by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and all other relevant laws.

Now that you know the ways of accessing these records, you can seamlessly perform a Polk County mugshot search; for further details of residents in this area, check out the Polk County free public information search tutorial, which gives insight into looking up court cases, marriages, divorces, warrants, and more.