Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office

06/02/2026

The Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office received a phone call today from a concerned person, in regards to a call they received from an alleged employee that worked at Bank Plus. The phone number came up as the Bank Plus bank in Estherville and the male subject advised the reporting party, that their bank account had been compromised. At this point, the male subject asked the citizen for all passwords associated with their account. No passwords were given out in this situation. This is a public notice to NOT give out any personal information to anyone over the phone. Bank plus did not call this reporting party in this situation. With technology today, a person can use their computer to spoof the phone number and make it appear that it comes from a legitimate business. If anyone receives any calls like this and has any questions, please reach out directly to your bank or even the sheriff's office. Do not give out any of your personal or private information to anyone that calls or texts you.

05/16/2026

05/15/2026

The Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office would like to congratulate Kaitlyn Nelson of Emmetsburg, on being awarded a $1000.00 scholarship from the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association. This achievement reflects your hard work, dedication, and commitment to your future goals. We are proud to see local students recognized for their accomplishments and wish you continued success in your education endeavor at Iowa State University Kaitlyn.

Evelyn Covington Scholarship

The Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association has proudly supported scholarships for students pursuing higher education for more than 30 years.

The scholarship program began approximately 34 years ago, when the ISSDA membership voted at its annual business meeting to establish five $500 scholarships. Over the years, the program continued to grow, increasing to ten $1,000 scholarships. While the scholarships were temporarily reduced during the economic downturn in 2010, the Board of Directors restored the program to ten $1,000 scholarships in 2014.

Most recently, in 2024, the ISSDA Board voted to expand the program once again, increasing the number of scholarships to fifteen $1,000 scholarships awarded annually.

This scholarship program honors Evelyn Covington, a former Linn County Deputy Sheriff and Past President of ISSDA. Evelyn was seriously injured while traveling to an ISSDA Board meeting during a snowstorm when a semi-truck lost control and struck her vehicle. Following this tragic accident, the ISSDA scholarship program was renamed the Evelyn Covington Scholarship in recognition of her dedication and service to the association and to law enforcement.

The scholarship recipients are selected by a committee made up of sheriffs, deputies, and sheriff support staff from across Iowa. Applicants are evaluated based on their application materials, letters of recommendation, accomplishments, and future goals.

On behalf of ISSDA President Lt. Elizabeth Quinn and more than 2,600 members statewide, it is my honor to congratulate Kaitlyn Nelson as a recipient of the Evelyn Covington Scholarship Award.

05/13/2026

During National Police Week, the Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office would like to recognize and thank the dedicated men and women of law enforcement who serve and protect our communities each and every day. Your commitment, professionalism, and willingness to answer the call at all hours of the day is much appreciated.

We also want to extend our appreciation to the many partners who work alongside us every day. Thank you to the Emmetsburg Police Department, West Bend Police Department, Palo Alto County Dispatchers, Jailers, EMS personnel, Palo Alto County Emergency Management, Emmetsburg Fire Department, Ruthven Fire Department, Graettinger Fire Department, West Bend Fire Department, Mallard Fire Department, Cylinder Fire Department, Ayrshire Fire Department, and all of the first responders who help keep our communities safe.

Public safety is truly a team effort, and we are grateful for the strong partnerships and support that we share. Together, we are able to respond to emergencies, help those in need, and serve our communities with pride. Thank you to all who wear the badge, answer the radios, respond to emergencies, and stand ready to help others. Your service and sacrifice are appreciated every day.

05/11/2026

A big thank you to the Side Street Saloon in Graettinger, for generously donating pizza and gatorade to the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office employees in appreciation of all they do for our community. Your support and kindness mean a great deal to the staff who work hard every day to serve and protect Palo Alto County. We truly appreciate your support.

05/09/2026

The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office and Emmetsburg Police Department phones are back up and working. Thank you for your patience.

05/09/2026

The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office and Emmetsburg Police Department are currently having issues with our incoming phone lines. For non emergencies, please call 712-887-5040. For emergency calls, please dial 911.

04/15/2026

🚨 Outdoor Warning Sirens 🚨

Outdoor warning sirens are designed to alert people who are outside, not to be heard inside your home. If you can hear a siren indoors, consider it a bonus, but it should never be your only way to receive warnings.

✔️ Have multiple ways to receive alerts:
• NOAA Weather Radio
• Cell phone alerts (WEA)
• Local media (TV/radio)
• Sign up for Palo Alto County Alerts through Alert Iowa: https://tinyurl.com/PaloAltoCoAlert

⚠️ Important to know:
Palo Alto County does NOT have countywide sirens. Sirens are activated only in areas that are under a National Weather Service warning.

🚨 Sirens may also be sounded when:
• A confirmed funnel cloud or tornado is reported
• Reports come from trained first responders or certified storm spotters

Stay weather-aware and don’t rely on a single source for life-saving information.

04/14/2026

The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our sincere thanks to Cent Credit Union in Emmetsburg, for their generous donation of a meat/cheese tray and crackers, in honor of Dispatcher Appreciation Week. Your support means a great deal to our dispatchers, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to serve and protect our community everyday. We are very fortunate to serve this community. Thank you CENT for thinking of our dispatchers and recognizing the important work they do🇺🇸

04/14/2026

This week, we recognize and celebrate Dispatcher Appreciation Week. To our dispatchers- thank you for being the steady voice on the other end of the line when people are experiencing some of the worst moments off their lives. You are the first responders, gathering critical information, providing life-saving instructions, and ensuring our deputies, officers, and emergency personnel have what they need to respond safely and effectively. Your professionalism, patience, and ability to remain calm under pressure do not go unnoticed. While much of your work happens behind the scenes, it is absolutely essential to everything we do. On behalf of the Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office and the community we serve, thank you for your dedication, your service, and your commitment to helping others. Dawn Buettner, Tiffani Keller, Lena Peters, Marie Jensen, Jesi Sinning, Staci Girres, Brooke Williamson, and MacKenzie Jo Kollasch, we appreciate everything you do everyday. Sheriff King