CLALLAM COUNTY – A new team of volunteers have just hit the trail in Clallam County.

As of this week, the Olympic Discovery Trail Patrol Auxiliary Team climbed aboard their electric-assisted bikes and are riding up and down the trail from Blyn to Port Angeles under the direction of the Sheriff’s Office.

Administrative Manager Lorraine Shore says the volunteers are there to be helpful to trail users and to be extensions of the eyes and ears of deputies.

“You know, any issues that might arise, whether it’s people that are using the trail for purposes that it shouldn’t used for, the volunteers can come up and talk to them and see what’s happening and notify our deputies. Or, you know, just simple things. They can go along, remind people about keeping their dogs on-leash, watching out for the horses on the trail, maybe camps that they spot that need to be cleaned up. They can then communicate that to our sergeants and the Chain Gang so that we can go out and, you know, keep the beautiful trail that we have clean and safe.”

The Olympic Discovery Trail Patrol Auxiliary Team volunteers, hard to miss in their bright yellow jackets, have no law enforcement authority, but have received training on self-defense, trail etiquette, positive public contacts, and first aid.

(CCSO Bike Patrol Volunteers: Jim Mraz, Guy Cranor, Buddy Bear, John Toppenberg, Deanne Lachner, Alan Barnard, Gary Gertig and Matt Aston.)