On Nov. 3, I will be voting to re-elect Cathy Osten to the state Senate.

The police have been under scrutiny after recent killings, but Cathy has always been supportive of the mission and the efforts our officers. She has consistently voted to improve the lives of our police officers by supporting their contracts to ensure good pay for good officers, and just this year she appropriated an additional $4 million in funding for the state police. Senator Osten fully supports the police and would never cast a vote to defund them. The Republican chants that she would are flat out lies.

Cathy’s steadfast advocacy for the police in our state is a testament to her commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the residents. Her commitment and strength in standing up to members of both parties is precisely what we need right now. I urge everyone to support the re-election of Cathy Osten.

JoAnn Merolla-Martin

Norwich