(From Hancock County Sheriff Michael Cortez)

On behalf of the men and women of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, I’m proud to share our 2025 Annual Activity Report with the community.

This report highlights the work your Sheriff’s Office accomplished throughout 2025—across patrol services, corrections, dispatch/communications, investigations, training, and agency initiatives—and reflects our commitment to professionalism, integrity, accountability and excellence.

Thank you for your continued trust and support. We are honored to serve Hancock County—every day, every shift, every call.

— Sheriff Michael Cortez

To the Hancock County Community,

As we close out my first year as your Sheriff, I want to provide a transparent

update on what your Sheriff’s Office has accomplished, what the data tells us, and

where we’re focused next.

 

Public safety work and service delivery

 

Your Sheriff’s Office remained consistently active across the county. During 2025,

we closed 32,149 total incidents, conducted 4,214 traffic stops, investigated

1,421 criminal cases, and worked 277 OVI/reckless operation investigations.

We also investigated 1,033 traffic crashes and executed 534 arrest warrants.

 

In addition to enforcement efforts, our office continues to provide essential court

and civil services, including 2,024 court documents served and 819 civil

protection orders processed, along with other civil actions.

 

We also continued proactive investigations, including drug enforcement activity in

partnership with our Detectives/METRICH operations.

 

Emergency communications

 

Our emergency communications team handled 10,072 calls received through 9-1-

1 services in 2025. That call volume reflects the critical role dispatch plays every

day-often at the very start of a crisis-and I’m grateful for their professionalism

and calm under pressure.

 

Jail operations and corrections

 

Our Corrections Division managed an average daily inmate population of 77,

completed 1,471 total book-ins, handled 1,479 internal incidents, and provided

77,518 meals in 2025.

 

Those numbers reflect a demanding operating environment that requires

consistency, safety, and strong staffing.

 

Records and clerical services

 

Behind the scenes, our Records/Clerical team continued to deliver high-volume

public services, including 503 background checks, 531 records requests, 787

reports processed, and 289 expungements.