HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) released its annual crime statistics for 2025, reporting a decline in overall incidents and a significant drop in drug overdoses compared to the previous year.
According to the report, the Sheriff’s Office saw the total number of reported incidents fall from 3,408 in 2024 to 3,225 in 2025. Alongside this reduction in general crime, the agency’s narcotics unit reported 80 arrests and the seizure of substantial quantities of illegal drugs.
Narcotics Enforcement and Seizures
The HCSO in-house narcotics team focused heavily on drug distribution within the county. Of the 80 arrests made by the unit, officials noted that 30 were narcotics dealers who resided in Habersham County.
The operations resulted in numerous serious charges, including:
35 cases of possession with intent to distribute
13 narcotics trafficking cases
15 gun charges
9 sales cases
During these investigations, deputies seized a wide variety of controlled substances. The largest seizures by weight were marijuana (7 pounds, 1 ounce) and methamphetamine (26.5 ounces). Other seized contraband included 5 grams of fentanyl, 3 grams of heroin, 2 grams of cocaine, and hundreds of prescription pills, including Lortabs, Xanax, and Ecstasy.
Overdoses and Public Safety
Data released by the Sheriff’s Office indicates a sharp decrease in reported overdoses. The county recorded 12 overdose reports in 2025, down from 28 reports in 2024.
Crime Trends
A year-over-year comparison shows reductions across several major crime categories. Property crimes saw some of the most significant drops:
Theft by taking: Decreased from 116 to 68.
Burglary: Decreased from 49 to 27.
Entering auto: Decreased from 18 to 7.
Violent crime reports also trended downward. Aggravated assault reports fell from 32 in 2024 to 23 in 2025. Battery reports saw a slight decrease from 41 to 38, while family violence battery cases remained steady, with 40 reports in 2025 compared to 41 the previous year.
Incidents involving fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement also dropped significantly, from 26 incidents in 2024 to nine in 2025.
