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Commissioners sign off on additional patrols for Allegheny National Forest

Warren County has signed off on providing additional patrols during peak times on the Allegheny National Forest.

The Warren County Commissioners approved an agreement on Wednesday allowing the Warren County Sheriff’s Office to, according to Commissioner Cindy Morrison, at holiday times – Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

Morrison said that the county will be receiving $5,000 for reimbursement of the patrols from the federal government.

“The money has steadily declined over the years,” Sheriff Ken Klakamp said, noting that it used to be $20,000 to $25,000 annually many years ago, down to $6,000 last year and $9,000 the year before that.

“We do what we can,” he added. “We run six hour patrols at designated peak times. (We) try to keep things quiet.”

Klakamp noted that the patrols include the campgrounds and boat launches. When asked why the funding has decreased, he added that “all I know is the money’s not there.”

These patrols are in addition to the contract that the county has with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for patrols around Kinzua Dam.

Klakamp said a new agreement with the Corps is in process and noted that the funding has “been consistent” with that agreement.

“The main focus of the patrol is to act as a deterrent,” he said.

With the Corps, Klakamp said that the patrols occur four times each week but “rotate so (we) don’t get into a pattern.”

“One of the things we look for is waders,” Klakamp said, in the restricted, marked portion of the tailwaters. “We have several citations each year for wading.”

He said that the Sheriff’s Office has done patrols since before he joined the county in 1977.

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