News and Investigations

At 12:30 p.m. on Monday, August 26, 2019, Sheriff Grady Judd invites the media to meet four new donated bloodhounds (and their handlers) who are ready to hit the streets of Polk County after completing rigorous training, in the media room at the PCSO Sheriff's Operations Center, 1891 Jim Keene Blvd in Winter Haven. 

The dogs were donated by the not-for-profit organization Find-M' Friends, Inc., which is located in Citrus County and was founded in March 2014 by Ms. Linda Boles, who is the lead trainer and President of the organization. Ms. Boles will also be there, and will be available for interviews. 

The four donated hounds have a value of approximately $10,000 each, for a total of $40,000. The donated hounds' names are: Trace, Preston, Cyndi Lou, and Catherine - she will be called “Cat.” The hounds are between 9 and 11 months old. 

Each of the dogs is paired up with an already-existing canine handler in the PCSO K-9 Unit, who are now outfitted with vehicles capable of transporting both the canine and the bloodhound. The hounds have recently completed training, and are ready to hit the road with their partners and fellow canines.

A brief bio of each hound and his/her handler follows:

K-9 Trace is teamed with handler, Deputy Sheriff Amber Ludlow. Deputy Ludlow has been with the agency since 2013. She has been in the canine unit since January 2016, working with K-9 Bonez, a dual purpose patrol/narcotics detection canine. Trace and Ludlow have already had two successful tracks while in training: the arrests of three robbery suspects who fled the scene of a robbery in south Lakeland, within 30 minutes of the crime occurring, and the successful track to a suicidal person. Incidentally, Ludlow's husband is a canine handler at Haines City P.D.
 
K-9 Preston is teamed with handler, Deputy Sheriff Scott Weaver. Deputy Weaver has been with the agency since 2010. He has been in the canine unit since December 2016, working K-9 Blitz, a dual purpose patrol/explosives detection canine.  
 
K-9 Cyndi Lou is teamed with handler, Deputy Sheriff DJ Cranor. Deputy Cranor has been with the agency since 2008. He has been in the canine unit since December 2010. D/S Cranor has worked K-9 Rex, K-9 Zorro, and his current partner K-9 Rogue, a dual purpose patrol/explosives detection canine. 
 
K-9 Cat is teamed with handler Master Deputy Terry Roberts. Master Deputy Roberts has been with the agency since 2001. He has been in the canine unit since November 2009. Roberts has worked K-9 Ponch (a hound), K-9 Chase (a hound), K-9 Matrix, and his current partner K-9 Gunner, a dual purpose patrol/explosives detection canine.
 
Our unit currently has two working bloodhounds, K-9 Blake and K-9 Chase. K-9 Blake was donated by the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office. K-9 Chase was donated by the Jimmy Ryce Foundation. 

“Bloodhounds have always been valuable tools for those of us in law enforcement - we've had huge success over the years with our hounds finding missing persons, citizens in need of medical attention, and dangerous suspects. We are forever grateful to Linda Boles for her expertise, dedication, and selfless donation of these animals. We're very excited for these four new hounds to start work, keeping the people of Polk County safe.” - Grady Judd, Sheriff