Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial

10/24/2026

10/24/2026

🏍️ 39 MILES. 39 HEROES. ONE RIDE TO REMEMBER. 🇺🇸

MOTORCYCLE RIDERS — WE NEED YOU!

Join us Saturday, November 14, 2026, for the 2026 Fallen Heroes Motorcycle Ride, benefiting the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

🏍️ 39-mile law enforcement-escorted ride from Lakeland to Lake Wales, honoring the 39 Polk County law enforcement heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice.

📅 Saturday, November 14, 2026
💰 $35 per rider — includes an event T-shirt!
👥 Passengers ride FREE!

Every mile represents a hero. Every rider helps us keep their memory alive.

REGISTER TODAY!
👇👇👇
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-fallen-heroes-ride-39-miles-for-39-heroes

PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO! Tag your riding buddies, motorcycle clubs, and anyone who loves to ride. Help us fill the road with motorcycles in honor of those who gave everything protecting our communities.

THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES. WE RIDE TO REMEMBER.

10/24/2026

🚨 LOCAL BUSINESSES — WE NEED YOUR HELP! 🇺🇸🏍️

We’re getting ready for the 2026 Fallen Heroes Ride — 39 Miles for 39 Heroes on Saturday, November 14, and we’re asking our local business community to help make this event even more special!

We’re putting together registration gift bags for our riders and looking for businesses willing to donate promotional and marketing items to include.

What can you donate?
✅ Pens, keychains, koozies, or water bottles
✅ Stickers, magnets, or promotional merchandise
✅ Business cards, brochures, or discount coupons
✅ Gift cards or special offers
✅ T-shirts, hats, bandanas, or sunglasses
✅ Phone wallets, charging cables, or screen-cleaning cloths
✅ Notepads, calendars, or reusable shopping bags
✅ Hand sanitizer, sunscreen, lip balm, or cooling towels
✅ Snacks, drink mixes, coffee samples, or individually packaged treats
✅ First-aid items, tissues, or other useful travel essentials
✅ Restaurant coupons, service discounts, or raffle prizes
✅ Anything with your company name or logo!

This is a great opportunity to promote your business while supporting a meaningful cause.

Every rider who participates is helping us honor the 39 fallen law enforcement heroes of Polk County and keep their memories alive.

📧 Want to contribute? Email us at [email protected]

🌐 www.polkfallenheroes.org

Even if you can’t donate, please SHARE this post and tag a local business that might want to help!

Together, we can make this year’s ride something special while honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

39 Miles. 39 Heroes. Never Forgotten. 🇺🇸

10/22/2026

A huge THANK YOU to Lakeland Harley Davidson for stepping up and helping us promote the 2026 Fallen Heroes Motorcycle Ride – 39 Miles for 39 Heroes!

We had a great time at Lakeland Harley-Davidson with Sheriff Grady Judd, helping spread the word about this important event.

It’s businesses like Lakeland Harley-Davidson that demonstrate what community support is all about. Their willingness to help us honor Polk County’s 39 fallen law enforcement heroes means a great deal to our organization and, more importantly, to the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

November 14, 2026, we ride for those who can no longer ride with us. We hope you’ll join us!

🏍️ 39 Miles for 39 Heroes
📅 Saturday, November 14, 2026
📍 Starting at the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial and ending at Lake Wailes Park
💲 $35 per rider (includes event T-shirt)
🇺🇸 Passengers ride FREE!

REGISTER TODAY:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-fallen-heroes-ride-39-miles-for-39-heroes

Thank you again to the entire team at Lakeland Harley-Davidson and Sheriff Grady Judd for standing with us in making sure our fallen heroes are NEVER FORGOTTEN!



https://www.facebook.com/share/1JdnSUcL3G/?mibextid=wwXIfr

10/22/2026

HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES — 25 YEARS OF REMEMBRANCE

Deputy Sheriff Pilot Brian Wilkinson
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: October 22, 2001

Twenty-five years ago today, Polk County lost Deputy Sheriff Pilot Brian Wilkinson.

Brian was just 33 years old when he made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the people of Polk County. He had joined the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in 1994 and later became a member of the Aviation Unit in March 2001, continuing a career built around service, responsibility, and protecting others.

Brian’s life was about far more than the circumstances surrounding his final watch. He was a deputy, a pilot, a coworker, a friend, and a loved one whose absence has been felt for 25 years.

Today, we remember the man behind the badge.

We remember his dedication to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
We remember his commitment to serving this community.
We remember the family and friends who have carried his memory with them every day since October 22, 2001.

Twenty-five years is a long time, but there is no expiration date on remembrance. The passage of time does not diminish the sacrifice Brian made, nor does it lessen our responsibility to continue saying his name and honoring the life he lived.

To Brian’s family, friends, and the law enforcement professionals who had the privilege of serving beside him: please know that he remains part of the history and legacy of law enforcement in Polk County.

Deputy Brian Wilkinson, your service mattered, your sacrifice mattered, and your memory continues to matter.

Rest in peace, Brother. We have the watch from here. 💙

A Hero Remembered Never Dies.

10/22/2026

HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES — 25 YEARS LATER

Deputy Sheriff Flight Officer Larry Rhoden
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: October 22, 2001

Twenty-five years ago today, Polk County lost Deputy Larry Rhoden.

Larry was serving as a Flight Officer with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office when the agency helicopter he was aboard crashed near Lake Hancock while returning from a call.

His loss was devastating to his family, his friends, the men and women of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the entire law enforcement community.

Twenty-five years later, Larry is still remembered.

He is remembered for his service.
He is remembered for his courage.
He is remembered by those who worked beside him, those who loved him, and those who continue to honor his name today.

The passage of time does not lessen the sacrifice made by our fallen heroes, and it does not erase the responsibility we have to keep their memory alive.

Today, we pause to remember Deputy Larry Rhoden, his life, his service, and the sacrifice he made for the people of Polk County.

To his family and all who knew and served alongside him, we remember with you.

Deputy Rhoden, your service will never be forgotten.

Rest in peace, Brother. We have the watch from here. 💙

A Hero Remembered Never Dies.

10/21/2026

THANK YOU, AUBURNDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT!

The Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Inc. would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Chief Terry J. Storie and the Auburndale Police Department for their generous donation presented today in support of the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial.

Chief Storie and his department continue to demonstrate their commitment to honoring the men and women of law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting the citizens of Polk County.

Our memorial stands as a permanent tribute to those fallen heroes, and contributions like this help ensure their names, their service, and their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Chief Storie, thank you for your leadership, your friendship, and your continued support of our mission. We are grateful to have the Auburndale Police Department standing alongside us in preserving the legacy of Polk County’s fallen heroes.

Their Sacrifice. Our Promise. Never Forgotten.

www.polkfallenheroes.org

10/16/2026

VENDORS WANTED – 2026 FALLEN HEROES RIDE! 🇺🇸

The Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Inc. is looking for vendors to join us for our 2026 Fallen Heroes Ride – 39 Miles for 39 Heroes!

We are inviting local businesses, food vendors, merchandise vendors, and community organizations to set up at Lake Wailes Park and be part of this special event honoring Polk County’s 39 Fallen Law Enforcement Heroes.

📅 Saturday, November 14, 2026
⏰ Vendor Hours: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Lake Wailes Park
33 N. Lake Shore Boulevard, Lake Wales, FL

This is a great opportunity to showcase your business, connect with the community, and support a meaningful cause as motorcycles and supporters gather to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR?

Please contact our Memorial Fund Treasurer, Luke Dickerson, for vendor information and arrangements.

📧 [email protected]

All proceeds benefiting the Memorial Fund help us continue our mission of preserving the memory and honoring the sacrifice of Polk County’s Fallen Heroes.

Please SHARE this post and help us spread the word to local businesses and vendors!

🇺🇸 39 Miles. 39 Heroes. Never Forgotten. 🇺🇸

10/15/2026

Supporting the Memorial. Honoring Our Fallen Heroes.

The Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Inc. would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Davenport Police Chief Steve Parker and the Davenport Police Department for their generous donation of forfeiture funds to support our memorial and honor Polk County’s Fallen Heroes.

Our memorial serves as a lasting tribute to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting and serving the citizens of Polk County.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we rely entirely on donations to maintain and preserve the memorial, make necessary improvements, and host our annual Peacekeepers Ceremony.

Chief Parker and the Davenport Police Department’s generosity demonstrates their continued commitment to ensuring that the sacrifices of our Fallen Heroes are never forgotten.

On behalf of our Board of Directors and the families of our Fallen Heroes, thank you, Chief Parker, and the entire Davenport Police Department, for your generosity and support.

Their Sacrifice. Our Responsibility. Never Forgotten. 💙