News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Mar 10, 2022

Former detention deputy arrested for sexually harassing a female inmate

Media Contact: Scott Wilder, Director

Former Detention Deputy Robert Collins (57 years old) was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with misuse of public office / unlawful solicitation (FSS 838.016) and lewd or lascivious exhibition in the presence of an employee (soliciting the lewd behavior); FSS 800.09(2)—both are felonies. He was arrested yesterday, March 9, 2022 and booked into the Polk County Jail early this morning, March 10, 2022. He posted $6,000 bond and he was released.

Collins resigned prior to being booked into the jail for his unlawful conduct; he would have been terminated had he not resigned. He was employed as a detention deputy for approximately 11 ½ years, hired as a detention deputy trainee in August of 2010.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating after an inmate complained to another detention deputy that she had been victimized. The inmate said she was approached by Collins in a sexually suggestive way and he coerced her, based on his position of authority as a detention deputy, into pulling up her top, revealing her breasts, displaying and manipulating her genitalia at his request, and briefly touching his clothed penis (over his pants) at his request. She told deputies that this was against her will, and she was afraid to say no because she was due to be released soon. She told deputies that she did not believe she had a choice.

Deputies interviewed Collins who initially denied the inmate’s allegations. Once confronted with the specific allegations, he admitted that he repeatedly approached the victim’s bed while her breasts were exposed, approached her bed multiple times while she was manipulating and exposing her genitalia, and that the victim touched his penis over his clothing. When asked if he requested the victim expose her breasts and vagina and touch his penis he stated “I don’t know, it’s possible.”

“I thank our victim for coming forward and reporting this reprehensible behavior. We are just not going to put up with this kind of abuse from someone the public trusts to keep our inmates safely housed while they are incarcerated. His behavior was repulsive, he betrayed our trust, and we are holding him accountable.” Grady Judd, Sheriff