Lakeland Busted Mugshots Search

Lakeland busted mugshots come from the Lakeland Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office. This central Florida city has nearly 125,000 people and sits in the heart of Polk County between Tampa and Orlando. The Lakeland Police Department handles arrests within city limits, while the Polk County Sheriff runs the jail where all bookings take place. You can search for arrest records, booking photos, and charges through the county system. Arrest data from Lakeland is public under Florida law, and no identification or explanation is needed to access it.

Lakeland Police Department Arrests

The Lakeland Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in the city. LPD officers patrol Lakeland, investigate crimes, and handle arrests. The department covers everything from traffic enforcement to major crime investigations. When LPD officers make an arrest, the person is taken to the Polk County jail in Bartow for booking and processing.

The screenshot below shows the Lakeland Police Department website where you can learn about the agency and its services.

Lakeland is the largest city in Polk County. The police department handles a high volume of arrests given the city's size. All of those bookings flow into the Polk County jail system at 2390 Bob Phillips Road in Bartow. The sheriff's office runs that facility and maintains the booking database that holds Lakeland arrest records and mugshots.

Note: The Lakeland Police Department website provides information about the agency but the Polk County Sheriff maintains the actual arrest search database.

Finding Lakeland Mugshots Online

The Polk County Sheriff's Office operates the jail inquiry system that contains Lakeland busted mugshots. The Polk County Sheriff's Office is located at 2390 Bob Phillips Road in Bartow, and you can reach them at 863.534.6306. Their system shows booking photos, charges, and bond amounts for people booked into the Polk County jail, including all Lakeland arrests.

Statewide tools give you a broader view. The Florida Jail Information System from the Florida Sheriffs Association pulls booking data from agencies across the state. It includes Polk County records and lets you search by name and time frame. The Florida Department of State jail directory links to every county's search tools in one list.

The Florida Department of Corrections offender search tracks people who have been sentenced to state prison. If someone arrested in Lakeland has moved beyond the county jail to a state facility, this tool shows their location and status. For a full criminal history check, FDLE offers statewide checks for $24 at 850.410.8109.

Lakeland Arrest Records and Florida Law

Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, Lakeland arrest records are open to the public. Section 119.01 says all state, county, and municipal records must be available for personal inspection and copying. This covers mugshots, charges, bond amounts, and booking details from Lakeland arrests. You can ask for records anonymously. The Polk County Sheriff must provide access.

There are some exceptions. Under Section 119.071, booking photos of current and former law enforcement officers are exempt if the officer files a written request for confidentiality. Victim information in sexual offense cases is also protected. For the large majority of Lakeland arrests, however, the full record is publicly available. Standard fees for paper copies are 15 cents per single-sided page and 20 cents for double-sided.

Lakeland Booking at Polk County Jail

When someone gets arrested in Lakeland, the officer transports them to the Polk County jail in Bartow. Bartow is about 15 miles from downtown Lakeland, so the trip takes around 20 to 30 minutes. At the jail, booking staff process the Lakeland arrest into the county system.

The booking process for Lakeland arrests includes:

• Taking the mugshot and fingerprints
• Recording all charges from the Lakeland arresting officer
• Setting bond based on the charge schedule
• Checking for outstanding warrants
• Entering data into the Polk County jail system

Booking data from Lakeland typically appears in the online system within hours. Bond amounts vary by charge. A minor misdemeanor in Lakeland might have a low bond, while felony charges could result in the person being held without bond for a judge to review. Polk County is one of the larger counties in Florida by area, and the jail handles bookings from Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Haines City, and many other communities.

Sealing Lakeland Arrest Records

Florida law allows certain Lakeland arrest records to be sealed or expunged. Sealing under Section 943.059 keeps the record but hides it from public view. Expungement under Section 943.0585 destroys it. Apply through the FDLE seal and expunge section at 850.410.7870 or email SEinfo@fdle.state.fl.us.

The fee is $75 by money order. Processing takes about 12 weeks. After approval, the Polk County Sheriff removes the Lakeland arrest from the public database. Third-party websites that already published the mugshot are not forced to take it down. This limitation in the law means some Lakeland mugshots may stay online even after successful expungement.

Polk County Arrest Records

Lakeland is the largest city in Polk County. The Polk County Sheriff's Office at 2390 Bob Phillips Road in Bartow runs the county jail and booking system. All Lakeland arrests flow through this facility. For records not available online, contact the sheriff at 863.534.6306 or file a formal public records request.

Nearby Florida Cities

Lakeland sits between Tampa and Orlando along the I-4 corridor. These nearby cities also have arrest records pages.