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WALKER - Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch reports that the Cass County Sheriff's Office Recreational Division has been very busy this winter patrolling snowmobile trails, responding to complaints and checking grant-in-aid trail systems.

As a joint effort between the Sheriff's Office and Cass County Land Dept, deputies have been patrolling trails on current model snowmobiles that are purchased partially through Minnesota DNR Grants.

Deputies make contact with snowmobile enthusiasts and check for proper registration and Snowmobile Safety Certificates, offer assistance with directions and answer questions about area trails. Deputies have made over 1,000 contacts with snowmobilers this year and have issued some citations, usually for registration violations.

Deputies also spend time on the educational component of their contacts. This includes teaching snowmobile safety and how trail systems work and often utilizes private property.

Property damage and venturing off the trail is difficult to enforce and could have an impact on the trail systems access. The Sheriff's Office works closely with area snowmobile clubs and other partners to solve issues regarding the trail system and feel fortunate to have this support and partnership.

Sheriff Burch states that "The Cass County Sheriff's Office Recreation Division is committed to ensuring that all snowmobilers enjoy their time on the trails and encourages this by having a presence on the trails and enforcing laws and rules."[[In-content Ad]]

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