PORT ANGELES – Earlier this month, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office was awarded a new 21-foot aluminum vessel named “The Commander”, to replace a 1986 Boston Whaler that the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office will now retire from service.

The new vessel was built by Lifeproof Boats of Bremerton. It was awarded to the Sheriff’s Office as part of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Patrol Vessel Replacement Grant program. The grant covered most of the cost of the vessel build, vessel motor, and vessel trailer.

The Commander vessel will primarily be used for patrols on Lake Sutherland but will also be utilized for patrols on the Straits of Juan De Fuca for recreational boating safety inspections, search and rescue efforts, and border security.