‘Operation Drive-By Bye’: Polk County task force arrests 144 gang members, associates

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the latest results of a “Violent Gang Investigative Task Force” in a news conference Tuesday.

The operation involved multiple law enforcement agencies and netted over 100 arrests and firearms seizures, according to the sheriff’s office.

The 144 people arrested have about 1,599 prior arrests and 1,669 felony charges between them. Nearly half of them were convicted felons.

“This is kids killing kids, and we’re not going to accept that. We’re not going to allow that,” Judd said.

Judd reported a 30% decrease in gang-related and suspected gang-related shootings since the task force was created in 2019. The operation began when Polk County law enforcement agencies started looking into the connection between drive-by shootings dating back to May 2021.

“There’s more arrests to come. I’m not here today reporting the end of this operation,” said Sheriff Judd.

Sheriff Judd said of the 57 firearms seized, some of them were stolen.

He advises gun owners to always report a stolen gun.

“Some people had their guns stolen and they go, ‘I’m not gonna call.’ I would much rather be on the record, if I was one of them, saying ‘I don’t own that gun anymore somebody stole it’,” said Sheriff Judd.

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