Community Invited to Honor Fallen Heroes at Polk County Memorial Service

38th Annual Polk County Peace Officers’ Memorial Service

📸 Photos and information provided to iSkyNews.com by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)

By Staff Reporter

iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published April 7th, 2026

🇺🇸 Event Summary

Event: 38th Annual Polk County Peace Officers’ Memorial Service
Date & Time: Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
Location: Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial, Lakeland Veterans Park
Who’s Attending: Families of fallen officers, law enforcement agencies, public officials, and the community
Honoring: 37 fallen officers + 2 additional names being added this year

LAKELAND, FL — Polk County leaders, law enforcement agencies, and community members will come together next month to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

The 38th Annual Polk County Peace Officers’ Memorial Service is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial in Lakeland Veterans Park, located off Lake Beulah Drive near the RP Funding Center.

Hosted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, alongside the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Polk County Lodge #46 and the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, the ceremony will pay tribute to 37 law enforcement and corrections officers who died while serving the citizens of Polk County.

During this year’s ceremony, two additional names will be added to the memorial — representing officers from the Winter Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco, honoring line-of-duty deaths that occurred in 1958 and 1987.

🎖️ Ceremony Highlights

The memorial service will include several powerful tributes, such as:

Joint Agency Officer Processional March
Presentation of Colors by a Joint Agency Color Guard
Roll Call of Heroes
Helicopter Flyover
Retreat of the Fallen Rider by the PCSO Mounted Unit
Bagpipe performances
3 Gun Volley
Taps

Family members of fallen officers, representatives from multiple law enforcement agencies, public service organizations, and government officials are all expected to attend. The public is also invited to join and pay their respects.

🍽️ Community Luncheon to Follow

Immediately following the ceremony, a complimentary catered formal luncheon will be held at the Lake Mirror Auditorium in Lakeland.

Sheriff Grady Judd, along with several elected officials, will be in attendance and available for photos. Attendees will also receive commemorative coins as part of the event.

For more information, the public can contact Ricky Newman, Chairman of the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, at 863-662-2280 or via email at rnewman@polkfop.org.

📸 Photos and information provided to iSkyNews.com by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)

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