POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A detective with the Lakeland Police Department was arrested on Friday after Polk deputies said he falsely reported a crime.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Officer Michael Hayes called deputies to report that three unknown juveniles threw an object at his agency-issued vehicle, an unmarked Chevrolet SUV, while he was driving on Yates Road in Lakeland.

He said the SUV’s back window was shattered due to the incident.

Polk deputies said Hayes told them that when he turned the SUV around to try to catch up to the kids, he ran over a small sign, damaging the front of the vehicle.

Hayes later told deputies that his supervisor told him to report the incident to the sheriff’s office.

Polk investigators said they found a photo of Hayes’s SUV with the broken back window taken 24 hours before the crime was reported.

When deputies confronted Hayes, he reportedly told them that he believed his child had broken the back window with a baseball.

He said he panicked and did not know what to do.

Deputies said from that point forward, Hayes could not explain the damage to the vehicle.

Hayes was taken into custody and charged with false report of a crime. He was booked into the Polk County Jail, then released after posting a $1,000 bond.

Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylor released the following statement about Hayes’ arrest:

“On the evening of July 19, 2025, the Lakeland Police Department was notified by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office about the arrest of Detective Michael Hayes. Michael Hayes is a 12-year veteran of the Lakeland Police Department, most recently assigned to the Property Crimes Unit. Immediately after being notified of the arrest, I ordered an administrative investigation and placed Detective Hayes on administrative leave in accordance with our agency’s policies and procedures. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has our full cooperation as they proceed with their criminal investigation.”

Sammy Taylor, Chief of Police, Lakeland Police Department