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Florida Matters Newsmaker: Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd spoke with Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham at his office in Winter Haven.
Stephanie Colombini
/
WUSF Public Media
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd spoke with Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham at his office in Winter Haven.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is never at a loss for words or opinions on criminal behavior. He has recently played a major role in the response to the school shooting in Parkland.

This week on Florida Matters, we talk with Sheriff Judd as part of our ongoing “Newsmaker” series.

Click here to listen to the show.

Judd has been Sheriff of Polk County since 2004. He is the President of Major County Sheriffs of America and former president of the Florida Sheriffs Association.

During our conversation with him at his office in Winter Haven, we discussed a variety of issues including:

  • Programs run by the Sheriff’s Office that train and arm school staff members to fend off active shooters
  • A program the department is preparing to launch that offers special services to inmates with severe mental health issues
  • The Sheriff’s stance on legalized marijuana
  • The Sheriff’s concerns about the state’s juvenile justice system


You can share your thoughts about what Sheriff Judd had to say by commenting on our Facebook page, tweeting @FloridaMatters or emailing FloridaMatters@wusf.org.

Hear an extended conversation with the Sheriff on issues like how to recruit and retain law enforcement amid a recent string of attacks on police officers in the state on our podcast Florida Matters More.

Copyright 2018 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7

Stephanie Colombini joined WUSF Public Media in December 2016 as Producer of Florida Matters, WUSF’s public affairs show. She’s also a reporter for WUSF’s Health News Florida project.
Robin is Senior Editor at WUSF, spearheading the station's podcasting initiatives and helping to guide the vision for special reporting projects and creative storytelling. She hosts the weekly current affairs program, Florida Matters, on WUSF and also created The Zest, the station's podcast that's all about food, which she continues to host and serve as senior producer.