The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is seeking substitute crossing guards in the Lakeland area, offering $15 an hour to help elementary school students cross busy streets safely during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal.

Guards are stationed at designated hazardous crossings, helping children navigate traffic on their walks to and from school. Applicants must be available for one hour in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon on days they are scheduled.

The openings follow recent staffing changes. Some part-time crossing guards resigned, and substitutes were promoted into those positions, leaving new vacancies, PCSO Media Relations Administrator Carrie Horstman told LkldNow.

PCSO currently has 58 part-time crossing guards and 11 substitute guards serving Lakeland, Horstman said. The sheriff’s office did not specify how many additional substitutes it hopes to hire.

Countywide, Polk County’s 2025-26 budget listed 135 designated crossing locations and budgeted for 180 guards and substitutes.

PCSO operates the crossing guard program with funding from the Polk County Board of County Commissioners. Under Florida law, crossing guards must complete standardized training, which includes classroom instruction, practical exercises, and supervised duty.

The sheriff’s office is encouraging qualified Polk County residents who can accommodate the split school-day schedule to apply.

To apply, contact PCSO Crossing Guard Supervisor Heather Strafford at (863) 534-7300, ext. 408.

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Josh M. Shepherd has covered issues of faith, culture, and public policy for more than 15 years. A graduate of the University of Colorado, his articles have appeared in Religion News Service, Mainstreet Daily News, Roys Report, and other outlets. He and his family live in south Lakeland.

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