It was just over a week ago when the community lost a Lakeland police officer who died in a crash. But now, Polk County deputies are facing another issue surrounding the officer’s death… someone vandalized his memorial sites.
Early Sunday morning the Polk County Sheriff’s Office received calls about vandals making a mess of the memorial for Officer Paul Dunn. Just after 3:45 a.m., deputies showed up to take pictures of the memorial located at Lake Miriam Drive and Lakeland Highland Road.
Deputies are labeling Lakeland police as the victims and if the vandals are caught, they will face charges of criminal mischief.
Lakeland Gazette is working to find out how bad the memorials was left.
Officer Dunn was on his way to work when for unknown reasons he hit a concrete median on Jan. 9 and crashed.
Dunn had been with the Lakeland Police Department for five years, 12 years with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and before that, he was a US Marine.
He was laid to rest on Jan. 16. He was 50 years old.