Michael Higgins is a 25 year veteran of the lake County Sheriff's Department. He began his career in 1969 working in the jail. Higgins graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, Bloomington, In, ranked 9th in his class. Higgins progressed through the ranks in various assignments and retired in 1994 as the Staff Services Commander. For the last eleven years of his tenure Higgins had the additional duty as the public information officer. In this capacity he kept the media informed of major incidents investigated by the department.

In 1991 Higgins received the Lewis Schmidt award for Law Officer of the Year from the American Legion's 1st District of the State of Indiana.

He is a member of the Lake County Fraternal Order of Police Chris Anton Lodge #125, Indiana Union Police Association Local #72 and the Fred Schmidt Post #20 of The American Legion in Crown Point.

Higgins also served in the U.S. Army Reserve and retired as a Master Sergeant with 30 years service.