HAINES CITY, Fla. - The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested a former Lake Hamilton police officer accused of trying to buy drugs from undercover detectives.
William Robert Hlas, 41, is charged with possession of cannabis, unlawful use of two-way communication device, purchase of oxycodone, maintaining a vehicle for drug use, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of oxycodone.
"Our message to the public is clear: law enforcement officers are not above the law," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd in a statement. "We will hold law enforcement officers who violate the law accountable for their actions."
Hlas resigned from the Lake Hamilton Police Department after his arrest Thursday at a Pilot gas station. Undercover detectives arrested Hlas shortly after selling him oxycodone pills.
The sheriff's office said Hlas asked someone who was not a doctor, pharmacist or medical professional where he could buy prescription pain pills. The person called the police department afterward, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
"This is a great example of 'when you see something or hear something, say something,'" Judd said. "This private citizen did exactly the right thing by bringing this issue to the police department.
"Chief {Michael} Teague and his management team acted quickly and decisively to work with our agency to find out if there was a problem with Officer Hlas."
The sheriff's office booked Hlas into the Polk County Jail.
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