Forest Service / ORV
 Forest Patrol Deputies
The U.S. Forest Service and the Chelan County Sheriff's Office share the same goals, specifically to suppress criminal activity and to promote safety and security for the multitudes of visitors to the Wenatchee National Forest within Chelan County. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office Forest Service Cooperative Deputy Program has been in existence since 1971. The program staffing is based on available federal funding provided by the U.S. Forest Service Region. Currently Chelan County has one Forest Patrol Deputy on staff.
The purpose of the Forest Patrol is to provide county law enforcement and patrol on the Forest Service roads and lands within Chelan County through a cooperative agreement with the Wenatchee National Forest. The deputies on this patrol act as a liaison between the Sheriff's Office and the ranger districts, and regularly coordinate activities with Forest Service law enforcement officers and other personnel. The deputies are trained in the ICS (Incident Command Station) System to assist with emergencies such as search and rescues. They are also instructed in dealing with wild land fires including investigation, security and air operations. Responsibilities also include maintaining a working relationship with the forest officers in the four Ranger Districts, assist the ORV deputies and conduct snowmobile patrol.
Chelan County Sheriff's Office ORV (Off Road Vehicle) Program
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office Off Road Vehicle Education and Enforcement program has been in existence since 1971. The program is funded by a grant from the State of Washington's Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. Currently, the grant is on a two year cycle and pays wages and benefits for two deputies for ten months of each year, from February through November. The grant also provides for capitol outlay in the form of pickup trucks and dual sport motorcycles.
In 1990 the County entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service, Wenatchee National Forest. Under the state grant our program is known as the Chelan County Sheriff/Wenatchee National Forest Co-op ORV Education and Enforcement Program. The Sheriff's office is the lead agency, providing the quarterly reporting and billings to the State. The Forest Service provides two seasonal trail rangers who patrol only Forest Service Lands in the county.
The two ORV deputies patrol public lands (state and federal) and assist private property owners with off road vehicle problems. The primary vehicles involved are motorcycles (dirt and dual sport), ATV's and 4x4 vehicles. The deputies enforce state off road vehicle laws, trespass and resource damage. We also assist with lost or injured ORV'ers. Chelan County has over 500 miles of ORV trails, 200 miles of Department of Natural Resources and Division of Wildlife roads and 2,000 miles of Forest Service roads. Deputies also patrol the numerous ORV campgrounds and trail heads in the county.
Our goal is to enforce state and local laws pertaining to off road vehicle use, reduce user conflicts on the trails and instill a safe and responsible riding attitude. This is done through personal contact on the trail, at the trail heads and at campgrounds. This is especially important with our numerous off road vehicle users during hunting season. We also conduct safety and skills classes for ATV and off road motorcycles. We are currently holding two ORV rodeos for kids each year, one in Entiat and one in Lake Wenatchee. We are also conducting a Tread Lightly program in the local hunter education classes. We are also assisting with three organized dual sport motorcycle rides that have been occurring in the county for the past several years.
Current Information for Forest Patrol / ORV
Winter is now upon us, and the Forest Patrol and ORV deputies are actively engaged in snowmobile education and enforcement. There are many miles of snowmobile trails in Chelan County, primarily on the Wenatchee National Forest. Other trails exist on State and private lands. Use on the trails seems to increase every year, and the trail heads and sno-parks that access those areas are very busy, primarily on weekends and holidays. Cross-country skiers and dogsledders also use many of the trails. The funds from snowmobile registrations and sno-park permits pay for trail and parking lot maintenance, and we stringently enforce those laws in order to keep that source of funding viable. Another goal is to promote safety in the winter recreation areas by educating the public about the laws and regulations that are in place, and to be a source of information if any questions arise. Finally, we are ready to provide enforcement if necessary, which helps insure that winter recreation in Chelan County is safer now and in the future.
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