Sheriff Grady Judd: Polk County’s Best Security System
They say that some people were always meant to be what they have become. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd surely is one of those people. Grady Curtis Judd Jr. started his police career as a dispatcher in 1972. He was only 18 years old when he landed that job. However, his dream to join the force and become a sheriff was born long before that. He was a mere 8-year-old when he saw his neighbor’s brother, Polk County Sheriff Monroe Brannen, wearing a uniform, a gun, and a badge. He knew his destiny and his goal ever since. Grady Judd worked a graveyard shift (11 pm to 7 am) for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office answering phones, all while attending the Police Academy from 8 am to 5 pm to complete the training necessary to join the Patrol Division. He managed to do that successfully in 1974. Born in 1954, he was the youngest deputy the department has ever had. Since he was still under 21 at the time, his father had to acquire his ammunition for him to comply with the Federal Law. It didn’t take Grady Judd too long to progress through the ranks. In 1982 he was promoted to a captain and transferred to a criminal division. Only 27 years young, he had 44 employees under his command, as well as a million dollar budget to work with. Every person working under him was older than him. Perhaps, that is why he was jokingly called “Captain Kid”. …