Two veteran deputies of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office are retiring in the coming weeks.

Deputy Mel Kempf began with the sheriff’s office in June 1990 and initially was assigned to the West End detachments, spending several years working from Clallam Bay. By the end of the 1990s, Kempf transferred to the Port Angeles/Sequim area.

Kempf served in special assignments during his career including field training deputy, marine deputy and is regarded by sheriff’s office officials to be one of the department’s finest firearms instructors.

Kempf has received three commendations awards, a marksmanship award and two meritorious service awards. In 2003, he received a Medal of Valor honor.

Kempf’s last day is June 30 and the Clallam County Board of Commissioners will recognize his years of service at its meeting on June 28.

Deputy Todd Yarnes came to the department in May 1999 and has served in the Port Angeles/Sequim area throughout his career. He has served as a detective, field training deputy and specialized as a fire investigations deputy, assisting both fire and law enforcement with crimes involving arson or reckless burning.

Yarnes has received no less than nine formal commendation awards in his career and received the Sunrise Rotary Excellence in Public safety Award in 2010.

Yarnes retired at the end of May. His service will be recognized by the Clallam County commissioners at their meeting on June 14.

Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict has honored both deputies with a Sheriff’s Star, one of the highest awards the agency gives.

“Both these men take with them knowledge and experience that can only be replaced with time, but neither of them can be wholly replaced due to the quality of performance they gave the citizens of Clallam County for many years,” Clallam County Sheriff’s Office officials said in a statement released in late May.

Blank, Woolman sign on

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office has two new corrections deputies. Craig Blank and Patrick Woolman were sworn June 3.

Blank and Woolman are lifelong residents of Clallam County. Blank graduated from Port Angeles High School in 2008 and Woolman graduated from Port Angeles High School in 2000.

Both deputies will enter the Criminal Justice Training Commission Corrections Officers Academy within the next six months. They are in a monthlong field training program, allowing them to start working in the jail immediately alongside seasoned corrections deputies.

The sheriff’s office also swore in two new lateral patrol deputies last week: Sean Hoban and Christopher Moon.