Sheriff Judd Swears In Historic Oath

POLK COUNTY, FL — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd took a historic oath of office Tuesday morning as he swore in his fifth term as sheriff at Lakes Church.

Judd is the only sheriff in Polk County's 160-year-history to be elected to five terms, the sheriff's office said. Judd has worked for the Polk County Sheriff's Office since 1972, where he started as a dispatcher. In 2004, he was elected as sheriff.

He was officially sworn in by the Honorable Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court Charles Canady, a Lakeland native. He ran unopposed in 2020.

"To be successful in life, you have to have friends, lots of friends," Judd said after he expressed immense gratitude to his wife for her support and selflessness through the years at his ceremony. "And I also credit them with my success. Make no mistake, there is no way to thank the hundreds of people who were and are my friends, and have been along my path. Who believed in me, trusted me, supported me and endured me with my obsessiveness, which is almost every minute of every day."

Judd expressed gratitude to the community and to police chiefs in the county, whom he considers teammates.

The sheriff is known for his storytelling skills when he recaps events at a crime scene and for his "this is the law, this is Polk County and this is the way it's going to be," demeanor.

A video that highlighted his unforgettable press conferences started the event and featured well-known Judd phrases such as "Are you kidding me?"

Rev. Jay Dennis, a retired pastor from Lakes Church spoke at the social distance ceremony.

"For every press conference that many of us see and enjoy, there are dozens of behind the scenes examples of you helping people," Dennis said from behind a podium. "Encouraging people and exemplifying good overcoming evil. Those are the things that have endeared you to the citizens."