Lakeland, Florida

===Law enforcement===
On September 28, 2006, Polk County Sheriff's Deputy Vernon "Matt" Williams and his K-9 partner Diogi were shot and killed after a routine traffic stop in the Wabash area of Lakeland. More than 500 police officers from a variety of law enforcement agencies joined in a search for Angilo Freeland, suspected of murdering Williams and stealing his gun. Freeland was found hiding in a rural area the next morning. Nine officers from five different law enforcement agencies surrounded Freeland and shot him when he raised Williams' stolen gun at them. A total of 110 shots were fired, and Freeland was hit 68 times, killing him instantly.<ref name="Waddell">{{cite magazine | last = Waddell | first = Lynn | title = 68 Bullets | magazine = Newsweek | date = October 13, 2006 | url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2006/10/13/68-bullets.html}}</ref><ref name="autopsy">{{cite web | title = Autopsy: Officers fired 110 rounds at man suspected in cop's death | publisher = Sunbeam Television Corp. | date = September 30, 2006 | url = http://www1.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI30139/ | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131113120847/http://www1.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI30139/ | archive-date = November 13, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Multiple investigations concluded the officers' use of force was justified.<ref>{{cite web | last = Walter | first = Shoshana | title = Killer's Civil Rights Not Violated, Panel Says | publisher = TheLedger.com | date = June 5, 2008 | url = http://www.theledger.com/article/20080605/NEWS/806050510?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar}}</ref> Deputy Williams and Diogi were laid to rest on October 3, 2006, after a funeral that included a one-hour-and-45-minute procession to [[Auburndale, Florida|Auburndale]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Stegall | first = Sarah | title = Thousands Turn Out to Say 'Thank You' | publisher = TheLedger.com | date = October 4, 2006 | url = http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061004/NEWS26/610040399}}</ref>

In 2021, the Lakeland Police Department hired numerous former NYPD officers. Two of the new hires failed to disclose that they had been disciplined by the NYPD, and one new hire used to work in the NYPD's notorious anti-crime units which were disbanded after high-profile scandals.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Elder|first=Elise|date=2021-11-22|title=Former NYPD officers in Florida heralded by DeSantis include surprises|url=https://www.wuft.org/news/2021/11/22/former-nypd-officers-in-florida-heralded-by-desantis-include-surprises/|access-date=2021-11-24|website=WUFT News|language=en-US}}</ref>