Some have expressed concern about the Jefferson County Sheriff Office’s recent acquisition of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicle.

This issue reveals an important distinction between the two candidates in the current sheriff’s race.

This acquisition occurred because Detective Art Frank handled it. He arranged for the sheriff’s office to buy the $733,000 MRAP for zero dollars, plus $4,500 for shipping.

Community concerns arose because the current sheriff proved derelict in his duty to communicate with his constituents. He failed to notify the public of the purchase or explain why we need the vehicle. When the vehicle mysteriously materialized behind the sheriff’s office, citizens wondered “What’s that? What is the sheriff’s office hiding?” The current sheriff’s puzzling lack of transparency needlessly eroded public trust in the sheriff’s office — an easily avoidable public relations blunder. 

Fortunately, on his Art Frank for Sheriff Facebook page, Art modeled what the sheriff office’s communication should have looked like. Art explained the sheriff’s office needs the armored vehicle to protect deputies responding to active shooter situations — like the one in July 2021 on Egg and I Road, when Art and other deputies had to stop a suspect firing out the windows of a travel trailer. Lacking an armored veicle, our deputies had to approach the trailer at great peril to themselves. Now that sheriff’s office has an armored vehicle, this lifesaving asset will enable our deputies to neutralize active shooters more safely.

Art knows some county residents don’t want our deputies using military equipment. But he also knows our citizens are eminently educable: As long as common criminals come armed with weapons of war, our police officers need assets like the MRAP to defend the public and themselves from unreasonable danger.

Vote for Art to get a sheriff who’ll communicate early and often, present the facts, respond to our questions, and resolve our most pressing law enforcement needs.

Gail Chatfield
PORT HADLOCK