Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting, Southern Tier Tea-Party Patriots Coordinator Gilda Ward, Congressional 22nd District Candidate Claudia Tenney, and 122nd Assembly District Candidate Joe Angelino at the “Back The Blue” event in Norwich on Saturday. (Photo by Zachary Meseck)

NORWICH – A few dozen people attended an event to show support for law enforcement in Norwich over the weekend. Attendees heard messages from local political candidates and activists on why now is the time to protect police.

According to Tri-County Tea Party Patriots Coordinator Gilda Ward, law enforcement is under attack around the world, and it’s time that the people they’ve been protecting have their backs.

Ward said the main speakers included New York 22nd Congressional Candidate Claudia Tenney, Assembly District 122 Candidate Joe Angelino, Assembly District 126 Candidate John Lemondes, 121 District Assemblyman John Sulka, and Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting spoke at the event.

“It is so crucial that we are standing up for our police, and standing with them because they are under attack nationwide and even locally,” said Ward. “There are calls for defunding and even abolishing police here, and we can’t have that.”

“It would cause chaos, it would cause anarchy, it would destroy our local areas, and it would destroy our nation.”

Chenango County Sheriff Cutting spoke at the event, and said it’s important everyone recognizes that when a call for help is made, the police are coming, regardless of the caller’s skin color.