Hancock County Sheriff's Office - IA

09/03/2026

Alert Iowa is the State of Iowa’s official emergency notification system. Through Alert Iowa, State and local officials are able to utilize a single, statewide notification system that provides local control of how and when to disseminate emergency and public safety messages to residents.

You can sign up for Alert Iowa through text opt-in, through an online opt-in page, or by downloading the Smart911 App.

Availability may vary by county, but features include:

weather alerts
county or community-specific alerts
alerts in multiple languages
access and functional needs registry
alerts received via voicemail, text, or email

Alert Iowa is the State of Iowa’s official emergency notification system. Learn if your county participates and sign up.

08/21/2026

We’ve received reports of community members receiving alarming messages demanding they withdraw cash to "pay off" unknown individuals under threat of violence or harm.

If you receive one of these messages, DO NOT panic and DO NOT send or withdraw any money.

Here is what you need to do immediately:

Do not reply or engage: Block the sender straight away. Responding lets scammers know your number/account is active.

Do not withdraw or transfer funds: This is a scare tactic designed to exploit fear and urgency.

Take screenshots: Document the messages, including the phone number, user handle, and time stamp.

Report it to law enforcement: Contact local law enforcement immediately to file a report with your documented evidence.

Report the account/number: Use the built-in reporting features on Facebook, WhatsApp, or your text app to flag the harassment.

Please share this post to keep our friends, family, and neighbors informed and safe. Scammers rely on panic—staying calm and informed is our best defense.

Stay safe, everyone!

07/18/2026

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens of what is being dubbed an “ankle monitor scam.”

Said scammers are calling people and saying they can help get their family out of jail by putting them on an ankle monitor. They then request the family member pay a deposit at a Bitcoin link or ATM and send the barcode to them through an app or text message.

After initial verbal contact, texts or emails are received by the potential victim. They go on to tell the family member that everything is done electronically, and as soon as the bond is completed, they will contact them and let them know when they can be picked up.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office does not have an ankle monitor program. Further, they will not call family members of inmates to get them out of jail for a fee.

05/25/2026

Today, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office remembers and honors the fallen heroes who gave everything to protect our country and our freedom. We will never forget their sacrifice.

04/28/2026

Scott Devries, 57, from Hardy, Iowa, pled guilty April 20, 2026, to one count of possession of child po*******hy in federal court in Sioux City.

At the plea hearing, Devries admitted that between January 2021 and August 2022, he possessed and received visual depictions of child po*******hy, which included prepubescent minors or a minor under the age of 12. While executing a search warrant, law enforcement discovered 20 electronic devices that contained child sexual abuse material. Forensic analysis of the devices found almost one million images of child po*******hy, some of which involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as infants and toddlers.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Devries remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Devries faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Charles City Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

Official website of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). DOJ’s mission is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek...

04/22/2026

🚨 SCAM ALERT 🚨

Heads up! There’s a new scam going around. Don’t click suspicious links or give out personal info to anyone creating "urgent" problems.

If it feels off, it probably is. Stay vigilant and spread the word to protect your circle!

04/20/2026

04/06/2026

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the 2026 Iowa State Sheriffs’ & Deputies Association Institute Honorary Membership Program.

This program offers Hancock County residents the opportunity to support local law enforcement by funding essential training and resources for sheriffs, deputies, jailers, and staff. It also contributes to the ISSDA Evelyn Covington Scholarship, youth initiatives, and Special Olympics Iowa.

Please watch your mail for your Honorary Membership packet. If you are not yet a member, we invite you to join this important effort.

👉 Join today: https://give.issda.org/join/

Together, we are strengthening public safety and supporting the next generation of Iowa’s law enforcement professionals.