Grady Judd sworn in to 5th term, breaking Polk record

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd was sworn in to his fifth term Tuesday morning, making him the longest serving Sheriff in the county’s 160-year history.

Judd was sworn in at Lakes Church in Lakeland by Honorable Chief Justice Charles Canady. Judd ran unopposed in the 2020 election, and will serve a four-year term.

“History was made by the citizens of Polk County when you elected me sheriff for a fifth term,” Judd said at the ceremony. “I’m grateful beyond words for the opportunity to be your servant and to be your Sheriff. To have the honor to continue to live my dream daily is beyond description.”

The Polk County Sheriff made headlines after being appointed by President Donald Trump to the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The organization is a part of the executive branch and coordinates with federal programs related to juvenile justice. Judd will serve on the council for three years.

In his speech, Judd remembered his parents, who he called his “two greatest cheerleaders,” and credited them as the foundation for his success.

Judd started his career at the Sheriff’s office in 1972, where he worked as a dispatcher. Two years later, he transferred to the patrol division. He held every rank from sergeant to colonel before he was elected Sheriff in 2004.

“You ask why Polk County’s safe? It’s because we’re all one,” he said. “You should be comforted to know in this county, the police chiefs think of the community first, and I think of the community first.”