Polk County, Florida Inmate Search
In Polk County, Florida, inmate searches, or custody lookups, are performed through the local Sheriff’s Office to obtain booking details for arrested/detained individuals. These searches reveal each detainee’s full name, arrest date, and offense(s)/charge(s), among other information.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), Department of Detention, manages the county’s primary detention facilities. Specifically, these jails house adult offenders, adolescent offenders waived to adult court, and individuals serving time as a penalty for their offenses.
Polk County’s jails, however, do not house the following populations:
- Juvenile Suspects: The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) has jurisdiction over minors charged with delinquency. Where secure detention is required, these Polk County suspects typically end up at the Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center. Polk County does not house a secure DJJ detention center.
- Federal and State Inmates: State-sentenced inmates are managed by the Florida Department of Corrections. On the other hand, federal inmates are supervised by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Polk County jails typically only confine these inmates either briefly for judicial proceedings or under intergovernmental service agreements.
Several cities and towns within Polk County maintain independent police departments-two examples being the Lakeland and Winter Haven PDs, which supply law enforcement services in the county’s largest cities. However, municipal agencies still use the county jail system for all formal bookings and pre-trial detentions.
How to Find an Inmate in Polk County Jail
All jail facilities within Polk County are under the Sheriff’s Office control. For this reason, conducting a Polk County inmate search is simple:
- Access the Sheriff’s online Jail Inquiry platform (also called the county jail or inmate roster).
- Dial (863) 292-3400 to speak with a call center representative.
- Call (863) 457-3738 to access the Sheriff’s Automated Information System (AIS) for 24/7 inmate information.
Polk County’s jail locations:
Central County Jail (CCJ): 2390 Bob Phillips Road, Bartow, Florida.
South County Jail (SCJ): 1103 US Highway 98 West, Frostproof, Florida.
The Sheriff’s Office is headquartered at 1891 Jim Keene Boulevard, Winter Haven, Florida.
How to Use the Polk County Jail Roster
Here’s how to access and use the Polk County jail roster (Jail Inquiry portal):
- Visit the PCSO website at www.polksheriff.org and, on the homepage, select "Jail Inquiry" at the top.
- This "select" action opens the jail roster search interface, which supports Name (at least a last name), Booking Date, and Alias (AKA) searches. Inquirers who use the Name Search function can also constrain their search results to show only current inmates or show aliases.
- Any search through the Polk County jail roster returns a list of matching records. The more precise the user’s search input, the smaller this list will be. The researcher can then scroll to the desired entry and click the inmate’s booking number to view their full jail profile card.
What Information is Included in the Polk County Inmate Roster
Members of the public can retrieve the following details from the Polk County jail/inmate roster:
Inmate Information
- Full Legal Name
- Photograph (Mugshot)
- Race and Sex (abbreviated as RS)
- Date of Birth
- Height & Weight
- Booking and Release Dates
- Booking Number
- Housing Location
- Current Inmate Status, i.e., whether the inmate has been released or is still in custody
- Bond Eligible: Indicates whether the inmate has the legal right to post bond for their charges
- Ready for Bond: Indicates whether the inmate is presently permitted to pay bond to secure their release (i.e., if they have had their first appearance or completed the formal booking process)
- AKA: All known aliases and corresponding dates of birth, as used by the inmate
Charge Specifics: A list of every offense the inmate was arrested or booked for, including the
- Charge Number
- Statutory Code
- Charge Description
- Arrest Agency
- Bond Details: Type, Amount, Amount Paid, and Bond/Purge Number
- Disposition: Describes how the period of detention ended (for example, bail release, probation revoked, time served, hold dropped, released without cost, sentenced to Inmate Work Program)
Florida’s Public Records Law (Title X, Chapter 119, FS) permits the disclosure of inmate records in Polk County, except for information deemed confidential or exempt by law. To this end, anyone can see information on the Polk County jail roster, but confidential information, such as a Social Security number (SSN), remains closed to the general public.
Contact Details for Polk County Jail or Sheriff’s Office
The Polk County jails or Sheriff’s Office utilize the following channels for direct or public inquiries:
Agency/Facility | Physical Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
Central County Jail | 2390 Bob Phillips Road Bartow, FL 33830 | Main Line: (863) 534-6123 Visitation Inquiries: (863) 534-6153 or 6173 |
South County Jail | 1103 US Highway 98 West Frostproof, FL 33843 | Main Line: (863) 635-6920 Visitation Inquiries: (863) 635-2642 or 2643 |
Polk County Sheriff’s Office | 1891 Jim Keene Boulevard Winter Haven, FL 33880 | Main Line: (863) 298-6200 or (800) 226-0344 (toll-free) Records: (863) 298-6300 or email recordsrequest@polksheriff.org Jail Work Release: (863) 519-4707 Inmate Accounts: (863) 298-6528 Warrants: (863) 298-6499 (Othercontacts) |
Polk County Sheriff’s Processing Center (Central Booking) | 7101 De Castro Road Winter Haven, FL 33880 | Main Line: (863) 292-3400 |
Polk County Sheriff’s Releasing Center | Directly behind the Central County Jail at 2390 Bob Phillips Road, Bartow, FL 33830 | Main Line: (863) 534-8712 |
Jail Facility Overview in Polk County
Polk County has two primary detention centers where arrested persons are held in secure custody: the Central County Jail and the South County Jail. Both facilities are operated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff also runs a Processing Center, where initial intake and booking are finalized before transfer to the main jails. According to the Sheriff, approximately 50,000 people are booked into the Polk County jail system annually. The combined rated capacity of the Polk County jail system is 2,576. Since FY 2020-21, according to Fiscal Year Budgets, the jail facilities have typically maintained an average daily population exceeding 2,500 inmates.
The Polk County jails house adult offenders, as well as youthful offenders transferred to adult court. The jail population includes both pre-trial or pre-disposition offenders and sentenced inmates.
For other juveniles charged under the Florida Youthful Offender Act, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has supervisory authority. These minors are usually taken to the Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center, a 95-bed, hardware-secure facility, if they need secure detention or to other facilities designated by the DJJ.
The average length of stay at the Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center is approximately 12 days. According to DJJ’s FY 2024-25 Comprehensive Accountability Report (p. 9), the facility maintains an average daily population of 67 and a rated capacity of 95.
The table below summarizes the contact information of the Polk County jail system and related juvenile facilities.
Agency | Office and Mail Address | Phone Number | Office Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Polk County Central County Jail | 2390 Bob Phillips Road Bartow, FL 33830 | (863) 534-6123 | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | No direct email address |
Polk County South County Jail | 1103 US Highway 98 West Frostproof, FL 33843 | (863) 635-6920 | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | No direct email address |
Polk County Sheriff’s Processing Center | 7101 De Castro Road Winter Haven, FL 33880 | (863) 292-3400 | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | |
Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center | 5255 140th Avenue North Clearwater, FL 33760 | (727) 538-7100 | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | No direct email address |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in the Polk County Jail System
The Central County Jail and South County Jail are Polk County’s primary detention centers. Although the SCJ is physically larger, the Central County Jail is where the Releasing Center and administrative offices are located. Neither facility is designated as the "main jail," as inmates may be shuffled between facilities for medical needs or court dates. Both facilities utilize a centralized system to manage inmate accounts, which are used to purchase commissary items and pay for other jail services.
Funding a Polk County inmate’s account can occur in three ways:
- Online or Via Phone using a debit/credit card. The jail’s vendor charges a handling fee per transaction, based on the deposit amount. Handling fees for internet deposits are cheaper than those for phone deposits.
- In Person at kiosks located in the front lobby of the Central County Jail and South County Jail. The CCJ kiosk is available 24/7, but the SCJ kiosk can only be accessed from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily. The same online vendor manages the physical kiosks, and a handling fee per transaction applies-currently a $4.95 flat fee. This fee is lower than that imposed for internet or phone deposits. In-person deposits can be made by cash, debit card, or credit card.
- Via Money Order mailed to the jail facility. The jails accept mailed money orders made payable to an inmate (must include the inmate’s ID) at
Sheriff’s Operation Center
Attention Inmate Accounts
[Inmate Name] & [Inmate ID]
1891 Jim Keene Boulevard
Winter Haven, FL, 33880
The Sheriff’s Office imposes a daily deposit limit of $300. For money orders exceeding $100, a 7-day hold is implemented.
More information about Polk County inmate accounts can be obtained by calling (863) 298-6528.
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
To ascertain whether an inmate is housed at the Polk County Central County Jail or South County Jail, use the Sheriff’s online Jail Inquiry platform, as explained earlier. Searches can be conducted by name or booking date.
Information about juveniles in the FL DJJ’s custody, however, is released only to authorized parties, such as a juvenile’s counsel, a juvenile’s parent/legal guardian, authorized court personnel, or specific law enforcement or state agencies (FS 985.04). To all other persons, these records are deemed confidential and exempt from disclosure.
Notwithstanding, FS 985.04(2)(a) removes these public access restrictions when a juvenile is
- Taken into custody for a violation of law that would be a felony if committed by an adult, charged with such a violation, or found guilty of such a violation
- Transferred to adult court
Facility | Public Access? | How to Search | Exceptions/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Polk County Jails (Central & South) | Yes | Use the Sheriff’s Jail Inquiry system | Confidential data (e.g., SSNs) is exempt |
Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center | No | Contact the Florida DJJ; proof of legal eligibility is required. | Records are closed unless the juvenile is charged/convicted of a felony or waived to adult court. In such instances, the child’s name, photograph, address, and crime or arrest report are public. |
Polk County Visitation Rules and Schedules
The PCSO’s Detention Department permits family and friends to visit persons in custody in Polk County, FL. Social visitation occurs remotely via video using the PCSO visitation vendor’s system. Visitors must set up an account on the vendor’s website; account registration is free.
Visitation can be scheduled by family members or friends only after registering or signing in. Visits can be conducted using a tablet, smartphone, or desktop computer/laptop. Those using a cell phone or mobile device should download the vendor’s mobile application from the app store, while those using a desktop computer/laptop can sign in through the vendor’s website.
Visitation Scheduling/Changes:
- At least 24 hours and up to 14 days in advance.
- All visit creations, changes, or cancellations must be completed by 6:00 p.m. on the day before the scheduled visit.
- To make changes to a scheduled visit, call the Central County Jail at (863) 534-6153 or 6173, or the South County Jail at (863) 635-2642 or 2643.
Visitation Days:
- 7 days a week, including holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Visitation Timeslots:
- 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
(Pre-adjudicated youth visits are restricted to 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Cost and Duration:
- $10 (plus tax) for 20 minutes.
- Visits are limited to 20 minutes per session.
Conduct and Dress Code:
- All visits are monitored in real time. Both inmates and visitors must conduct themselves appropriately and wear conservative clothing. Some violations include nudity of any kind, displaying gang signs, dressing or acting provocatively, displaying provocative or pornographic photographs, and operating a motor vehicle while on the call.
Visitor or inmate misconduct can result in the termination of a session or permanent denial from all other visitation. Criminal charges may also be filed when applicable.
Minor Children:
- Per jail policy, only someone aged 18 years or above can set up a visitation account. However, based on an inmate’s charges, children may be permitted to visit, provided the account holder is present throughout the visit. If a child is left unattended, the visit will be terminated.
Mailing and Commissary Information
Residents at the Central County Jail and South County Jail in Polk County are allowed to receive incoming mail and write to people outside the facilities.
For incoming and outgoing mail, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office contracts with a third-party provider to offer a digital mail service to inmates and their loved ones for a nominal fee.
Senders who do not have access to a computer to set up a digital mail address may opt for physical mail (letters, postcards, and drawings) forwarded via post to the vendor’s central processing hub (seemailing address format).
Personal postal mail is not sent directly to the jails or the Sheriff’s Office. Instead, it is scanned and emailed to the inmate via the vendor’s digital mail system (at no cost), and it is made available to view on kiosks in all housing units. When posting mail, the inmate’s full name and ID number must be printed legibly on the outside of the envelope or postcard to ensure it reaches the correct recipient.
Importantly, the aforementioned mailing system cannot be used to fund inmate commissary accounts (that process is detailed under the "How to Send Money to an Inmate in Polk County Jail System" heading).
Only legal mail (must be clearly identifiable and marked appropriately as "legal mail") and approved books can be sent to 2390 Bob Phillips Road, Bartow, FL 33830, the Central County Jail facility address.