LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis’ bomb squad deployed a tactical robot to disarm a suspect involved in a domestic dispute in Lakeland, Florida. At the request of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, CFO Patronis' Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Team responded to the incident and helped secure the arrest of Raymond Cadiz, 49, without incident.

 

CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis said, “Through advancements in technology, we can now neutralize dangerous situations before they escalate and cause harm to someone, including our first responders. I am proud of my team for their hard work and the specialized response they provide local law enforcement throughout Florida.”
 
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, “We know that every time we call CFO Patronis’ investigators, they provide their top-notch staff and equipment to help us keep people in Polk County safe. In this case, our bad guy literally surrendered to the bomb squad robot. The bomb squad professionals helped diffuse a potentially life-threatening situation—this was a great outcome.”

 

CFO Patronis’ investigators responded to domestic violence call where the Cadiz allegedly pulled a gun on the victim, who escaped and called 911. The robot was deployed and conducted a search of the residence and discovered Cadiz in the rear bedroom where officers used the robot to demand Cadiz exit the residence. He was arrested and charged with domestic violence and aggravated assault.

 

In 2018, CFO Patronis' arson investigators responded to over 3,500 requests for assistance from local authorities including 87 EOD support calls.