PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Sheriff Joe Hawe proposed to the county commissioners on Monday an alternative to eliminating county animal control services, which he supported shelving last month.

The sheriff also proposed creating two “recreational” deputy positions — one to fill an existing department opening — to help handle vicious-animal calls.

The positions would also cover marine and Olympic Discovery Trail patrols in cooperation with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, which would provide partial funding and share supplies and equipment, such as boats and all-terrain vehicles.

“I thought it would be advantageous if we both came together,” Hawe said, adding that deputies would help state officers with boating and fishing enforcement.

Under the agreement, Hawe said state Fish and Wildlife will provide one deputy/wildlife enforcement officer.

The county in turn will provide one deputy/wildlife officer with total funding provided by the county at $65,000.

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The rest of the story appears in the Tuesday Peninsula Daily News Jefferson County edition. Click on SUBSCRIBE, above, to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.