THE PORT ANGELES Chamber of Commerce board has committed $5,000 toward funding a police officer whose “beat”‘ is downtown Port Angeles.

Chamber President Dan Gase said efforts by the community and chamber over the past several years have been to bring more residents and tourists downtown.

“With more people comes both good and bad, and it is important that we as a community have assistance in dealing with keeping our downtown guests safe,” Gase said in a statement.

Police Chief Tom Riepe, in proposing a 40-hour-per-week downtown resource officer, has said that a new officer would cost about $70,000 annually, including salary, benefits and equipment.

He has asked downtown merchants, property owners and other “stakeholders” to contribute 50 percent of that cost.

The chamber’s board of directors voted Friday to commit $5,000.