To the Editor:

Julia Conlin is an outstanding candidate for the Newtown Police Commission. Our town and police department would be incredibly lucky to have her as a member.

Julia has lived in Newtown for almost 16 years. I first met Julia eleven years ago on the Head O’Meadow PTA. It was immediately clear that she was remarkably bright, exceptionally committed to our community, and extremely generous with her time.

Through the years she served the PTA in many capacities including Advocacy Chair, always filling in where needed, and willing to do the hardest work. It has always been apparent to me that her ability to see an issue from all sides was unparalleled. Julia is a collaborator, always thoughtful in her deliberations, and willing to change her stance when presented with additional information.

Julia is a practicing attorney who has worked for both the prosecution as well as the defense over her career. She has also served as an educational surrogate for children in foster care. All of these experiences have created a unique and exceptionally fair viewpoint in a woman with amazing attention to detail and work ethic.

Currently our police commission includes no women, despite overseeing a department which counts eight female officers among its ranks. We need a diverse range of perspectives to help build and maintain powerful relationships between the police and our community.

The police commission is so much more than the local traffic authority. They make decisions related to hiring and firing, as well as department policies. Julia’s experience and detail-oriented style make her more than up to the task.

Please join me in voting for Julia Conlin for Police Commission.

Kristen Alesevich

Newtown