Bullet-resistent vehicle crucial during Pillar Point gunfire, sheriff says

May 22—WATERTOWN — The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department's Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, vehicle may have just been a life-saver last Tuesday night following an incident where a man allegedly fired multiple shots at police officers.

Jefferson County Sheriff Peter R. Barnett said the MRAP was "crucial" May 16 to both officers and residents.

"When you have an incident involving a firearm, we don't know what direction that firearm is going to go," he said. "We're not mind-readers ... This MRAP is nothing more than a big protective shield."

Nathan P. Krump, 45, of 23378 County Route 59 in Pillar Point, was charged with attempted murder following the incident on Tuesday night.

The MRAP is bullet-resistant, including the glass on the windshield and the windows. The doors are also hydraulic because they are so heavy.

It is unknown how fast the vehicle can go, but they were going 70 mph on Tuesday.

"It's going to be used, it's going to be kept up," Sheriff Barnett said. "I thank my lucky stars that I have this thing to offer."

The MRAP is deployed whenever the Sheriff's Emergency Response Team is needed.

It also is used with the Watertown Police Department.

The sheriff said it can also be sent out to calls where they may be a barricaded subject, a hostage situation, or in any instance where police don't know exactly what is happening on the scene.

"If that saves lives, then I've done my job," he said.

Sheriff Barnett said that he felt there may have been some misinformation with the general public when there was debate whether or not the department should receive the MRAP.

Some people felt the department would use the MRAP "recklessly," the sheriff said.

"No, that is not the case," he said. "This is a tool, a protective piece of tool, to save lives, not just law enforcement, but every local resident here in Jefferson County as well."

He said that if they didn't have the MRAP, they wouldn't have anything.

"What are we supposed to do? Hide behind these cars, which take bullets and go right through? Or at least try to have something that if shots are fired, I'd rather have them hit this protective piece of equipment and then maybe we can come up with a resolve to take someone and get them help without anybody being killed or injured," he said.

The MRAP was given to the department for free by the United States military when John P. Burns was the sheriff.

"It doesn't look pretty, but that's not what it's about," he said. "If this can save somebody's life, I'm going to keep running it."

Sheriff Barnett said the MRAP took at least three bullets, one which can be seen above the driver side window.

The bullets were described by sheriff's deputies in court papers as "whizzing past" officers.

Officers that may be shaken up may talk to trained EAP individuals, as well as other organizations.

"We're only human, we don't know what incident might trigger an emotion into somebody," Sheriff Barnett said. "Just because you're in law enforcement doesn't mean we have this piece of armor where it doesn't affect our emotions."

He encourages everybody, including civilians, that may be shaken up from any incident to talk with somebody.

"I encourage everybody out there that if you are emotionally bothered by something you see or something in your life, there are plenty of organizations and people out there that you can reach out to, to get it off your chest and to vent is very important for us as human beings," he said.

For officers, those struggling can reach out to the community services department in Jefferson County in addition to the local EAP coordinators.