Lakeland Police Officer Arrested for Filing False Crime Report, Faces Investigation

42-year-old Michael Hayes / Polk County Sheriff's Office

Staff Reporter | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published July 21st, 2025

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Lakeland Police Officer Arrested for False Crime Report; Investigation Underway

Polk County, FL A veteran detective with the Lakeland Police Department is facing criminal charges and departmental scrutiny after allegedly fabricating a report of vandalism involving his agency-issued vehicle.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Michael Hayes, 42, was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with False Report of a Crime (M1)—a first-degree misdemeanor. Hayes, who was off-duty at the time, claimed three unknown juveniles had thrown an object at his unmarked Chevrolet SUV while he was driving down Yates Road in Lakeland, shattering the rear window.

In his initial statement, Hayes said he attempted to pursue the teens, accidentally running over a sign and damaging the front of his vehicle. He then contacted his supervisor, was instructed to report the incident to PCSO, and did so approximately 30 minutes later.

🕵️‍♂️ Inconsistencies Quickly Uncovered Investigators later obtained photographic evidence showing Hayes' SUV with a shattered rear window 24 hours before the alleged incident. When confronted with the timeline, Hayes admitted he believed his child may have broken the window with a baseball and confessed to panicking before filing the report. He was unable to explain the other damages on the vehicle.

Hayes was booked into the Polk County Jail on Friday and released the same day after posting $1,000 bond.

📣 Administrative Action from LPD Following notification of the arrest, Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylorannounced Hayes has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

“Michael Hayes is a 12-year veteran of the Lakeland Police Department, most recently assigned to the Property Crimes Unit. Immediately after being notified of the arrest, I ordered an administrative investigation and placed Detective Hayes on administrative leave in accordance with our agency's policies and procedures,” Taylor said in a statement. “The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has our full cooperation as they proceed with their criminal investigation.”

The investigation remains ongoing. Additional charges or disciplinary actions may be considered depending on the outcome of both criminal and internal reviews.

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