Hancock County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit educates students, aids in drug arrests

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office visited North Hancock Elementary School on Thursday, Oct. 30, to provide a K-9 demonstration for students. Deputy Cody Axton, the county’s K-9 handler, along with K-9 Max, educated the children on how the K-9 Unit helps keep the community safer.

The meet-and-greet included a question-and-answer segment that gave students a thorough understanding of the benefits of the department’s first active K-9 unit in over a decade. Axton received grant funding and completed certified training earlier this year to become the handler for Max, a German short-haired pointer, imported from the Czech Republic.

Max is dual-purpose, trained in narcotics detection and tracking, and has assisted in drug alerts since starting patrols in May 2025. One of the successful assists occurred on Oct. 11, when deputies and Lewisport Police officers stopped a vehicle for disregarding a stop sign. K-9 Max conducted an open-air sniff and alerted to the presence of narcotics. A search uncovered a loaded 9mm handgun, suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. The driver was arrested and taken to the Breckinridge County Detention Center.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is located at 225 Main Cross Street in Hawesville. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office phone number is 270-927-6247, and after-hours dispatch can be reached at 270-927-1311. Follow the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page to keep updated.
This K-9 Unit addition strengthens the department’s ability to protect the community through narcotics detection, search and rescue, and public education efforts, supporting safer neighborhoods in Hancock County.