More Than 150 Kids Go Fishing with Sheriff Grady Judd
by James Coulter
Sheriff Grady Judd and his deputies work hard to catch criminals, yet on Tuesday, they took time out of their busy schedules to help local children catch a few fish.
Approximately 150 kids had the opportunity to cast lines with law enforcement officers from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office during the annual Fishing with Sheriff Judd event on Tuesday morning.
From 7 am to 10:30 am, the children and deputies gathered at the lake south of the Sheriff’s Operation Center, located at 1891 Jim Keene Boulevard in Winter Haven, then enjoyed a delicious barbecue lunch.
The annual event was hosted in conjunction with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc. Sponsors for this year were Take a Kid Fishing, Inc. and Phillips Bait & Tackle.
The participating children were chosen by were selected by Community Oriented Policing (COP). The event was initially started to provide a positive interaction with children in lower socio-economic, at-risk areas.
“Some of the kids have never been fishing – and at this event, it’s guaranteed that each kid will catch at least one fish,” said Carrie Horstman, PCSO Media Specialist. “The deputies and FWC officers enjoy interacting with kids and showing them that law enforcement officers are trusted adults they can come to if they ever need anything.”
Not only does the event allow children to enjoy a fine day alongside Polk County’s finest deputies, it also allows the PCSO to maintain its image among the general public by showing how much they’re willing to do to serve them.
“We believe this and our other charity events show how involved we are with our community and citizens, how much we appreciate their love and support, and how important they are to us,” Horstman said.
