Command Staff

  1. Chief Walker

    Stephen Walker

    Police Chief
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    Stephen Walker began his career with the Lakeland Police Department in 1990 as a patrol officer. In 1992, he was assigned to the School Resource Unit/Juvenile Division of the Criminal Investigations Section. In 1994 he joined the SWAT Team and functioned as the Team Medic and Entry Team member. In 1995, Captain Walker was promoted to Sergeant, serving in the Patrol Division. In 2002, he was assigned as the Sergeant of Street Crimes and in 2002 was promoted to Lieutenant.

    As Lieutenant, Walker served as the Officer in Charge of the Patrol Division from 2003 to 2005, commanded the General Services Section from 2005 to 2008, led the Special Operations Section from 2009 to 2012, supervised the Neighborhood Liaison Section from 2012 to 2013 and the Office of Professional Standards/Internal Affairs from 2013 to 2014. Promoted to Captain, he served as the Commanding Officer of the Support Services and Special Services Bureau from 2014 to 2017, the Commanding Officer of the Patrol Division 2017-219 and the Commanding Officer of the Special Operations Division in the Support Services Bureau from 2019 until his retirement in 2020.

    After 2-years of retirement, Walker missed serving the community and began his career with the Bartow Police Department in 2022 as the Law Enforcement Commander and was promoted from Captain to Deputy Chief (DC) of the Bartow Police Department by then Police Chief Andy Ray on December 1, 2023. He has served as the acting head of the department since Ray's retirement on April 5, 2024.

    DC Walker has a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Troy University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from Saint Leo University, and is a Certified Public Manager. Additionally, he is a graduate of the 124th Session of the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville and the 56th Session of the Senior Management Institute for Police. DC Walker also is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Florida Executive Development Seminar. Additionally, Capt. Walker is highly trained in Emergency Management and is certified, by the Florida Division of Emergency Management as a Type III Planning Section Chief.


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  1. William Stevens

    Investigations Commander
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    Captain William Stevens began his career with the Bartow Police Department in 2007. Prior to the Bartow Police Department, Captain Stevens served in the United States Army Military Police Corp. where he completed his enlistment as a Staff Sergeant after serving 9 years.

    Before coming to Bartow, Captain Stevens worked for the Department of Defense Police in the southern Mojave Desert for a short time.

    In 2007 Captain Stevens made the move to Bartow working for the Bartow Police Department. He was initially assigned to the patrol section for several years as a Field Training Officer, Certified Instructor, and a member of the Entry Team.

    In 2015 Captain Stevens was assigned to the Investigations Section where he worked as a Detective investigating felony cases. Then in 2017 he was promoted to Sergeant and he assumed supervisory responsibilities of a patrol squad, and later supervised the Criminal Investigation Division. In March 2022, Captain Stevens was promoted to Captain and currently serves the citizens of Bartow as the Investigations Commander.

    Captain Stevens is a graduate of the FBI LEEDA, and the National Public Safety Institute Innovation Academy. Captain Stevens was awarded runner-up Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2011.

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Luke Hauser

Law Enforcement Commander

Captain Luke Hauser began his career with the Bartow Police Department in 2013. Captain Hauser attended the Basic Law Enforcement Academy at Polk State College. He was initially assigned to the Patrol Section as a Field Training Officer and Traffic Homicide Investigator. In 2016, Captain Hauser was reassigned to the Investigations Section investigating felony cases. 

In 2018, he was promoted to Sergeant and assumed the supervisory responsibilities of a patrol squad. He was later assigned to the Community Services Team where he served until his promotion to Captain in 2024. Captain Hauser is a graduate of the National Public Safety Innovation Academy.

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