Bio – Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd

After beginning his career with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office as a dispatcher, Grady Judd quickly progressed through every rank – from Corporal to Colonel. As a small child growing up in Polk County, Grady had dreamed of being Sheriff. In 2004, Polk County overwhelmingly elected him to serve as their Sheriff, fulfilling that childhood dream.

Sheriff Judd has earned higher education degrees through the Masters level and has graduated from the FBI National Academy, as well as several other prestigious law enforcement academies, and has taught 23 years at both the University of South Florida and Florida Southern College. He is currently the Immediate Past President of the Major County Sheriffs of America, a national organization serving counties with a population of 500,000 or more. Grady realizes that having proper priorities in place is important to success. Faith, family, and the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office along with the citizens of Polk County are the priorities that direct his life. Grady has been married to his wife Marisa for 47 years, and has two grown sons, and thirteen grandchildren.