Public safety is my primary job. That means using my role to help Cumberland County’s residents to be safe and do well. My quest since day one has been to rebuild our system to one that protects public safety while being grounded in compassion, consistency, fairness, and dignity. This means addressing historic injustices and shifting our approach in resolving new cases.

I work tirelessly for systemic change because that is what truly keeps our communities safe in the long-term. The voters chose reform in 2022 — we are well on our way, but there is still much work ahead of us. We will need to substantially remake our internal operations in order to deliver the full measure of reform Cumberland County residents need and deserve.

I have partnered with Portland’s Homeless Services Center (HSC) and Portland Police to allow unhoused individuals with minor criminal law violations to stay at the HSC instead of being criminally charged. There, they are connected with resources including medical help, recovery, and other services that are designed to lead to wellness - as well as a housing navigator.

Since implementation of this policy, over 400 people have been housed from the HSC. We also work with state and nonprofit partners to help ensure that supports and services are readied so that people who have been unsheltered are released from jail with help. Otherwise, they often return to jail. These partnerships are unusual for a prosecutor’s office, but essential in building a safety net that is responsible to individual needs with the goal of real public safety.

I have built a brand new Restorative Justice (RJ) program, replacing the one I found. The prior RJ program handled a maximum of 144 cases per year during the pandemic. The new program is on track to handle 500+ cases annually at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

Last month (April 2026) my office sent over 10% of all cases to RJ and the PRCC diversion programs. Most such cases end in a dismissal of criminal charges, sometimes with restitution where appropriate. RJ has been shown to reduce recidivism (repeat offenses) better than the traditional approach of getting a conviction in many cases.

I’ve made sure my office is prepared to handle the unique legal challenges presented when charging a federal agent, by building partnerships with those with this specific expertise. I’ve also worked to secure partnership with the County Sheriff who has agreed to handle investigations of cases involving ICE. I’ve met with the ACLU, which continues to gather evidence to file civil cases.

However, as with all cases, prosecutors cannot bring charges without victims speaking with law enforcement, a perpetrator being identified, and a police report filed. My office has actively encouraged ICE victims to consider filing a police report so that we can consider pursuing charges. But people traumatized by the actions of ICE are understandably skittish about trusting law enforcement, another truly terrible outcome of the actions of masked agents acting outside of the law.

While there is a three-year statute of limitations for many charges we could consider, we are currently tracking possible cases and hoping to move forward soon, because we don’t tolerate secret police in Maine and no one is above the law. 

The bottom line is that I am committed and we are actively working to prosecute these difficult cases when willing victims come forward and perpetrators can be identified, whenever that occurs. 

Our DA’s office is the product of a 32-year Republican-led administration. I have begun modernizing its practices and policies. The difference between these approaches is significant, but these changes are what people voted for in 2022.

When they reach fruition, we will have a modern problem-solving approach that emphasizes accountability in tandem with access to help, and that ethic will inform everything we do. This will allow people to more readily move beyond an incident of problematic conduct and towards being fully a part of our vibrant community, with the incident behind them and a lower likelihood of returning to the criminal legal system. This approach is a major shift in traditional prosecution, requiring shifts for my staff, but is the work of delivering justice compassionately and fairly.

I have created a new diversion program with the Portland Recovery Community Center. It is intended to build trust and connections to recovery resources, and open the door to recovery for people with minor criminal charges. Participation in the PRCC program will often result in a case being dismissed, to strongly encourage someone needing recovery to attend. This program is a key part of expanded diversion options.

In addition, as a long term Treatment Court prosecutor, I am very supportive of our Veterans Treatment Court and Adult Treatment Court. I’ve seen people at their lowest point learn to trust themselves and restore themselves to their communities and families. I know people do recover. My prosecutor now serving on that court also is a true believer in these programs, we meet frequently, and I know he is fully engaged with the treatment team and judge who oversees it.

But often people apply who do not meet court-determined criteria for the level of their addiction or assessed recidivism, although they clearly struggle with addiction and/or mental health challenges. This means they are turned down by the only person who makes those choices - the judge - but they still need real help. In Cumberland County, if people are turned down for Treatment Court, this is almost always why. (The concern is that people with very maladaptive thinking have been shown to inadvertently teach problematic behaviors to those dealing with less of a challenge – so only people with “high risk, high needs” are permitted to be admitted to the treatment court.) 

To address this gaping hole, I and my treatment court prosecutor are working on an alternative for people who don’t quite meet the level of care required for admission to our existing treatment court. This alternative would be modeled on Maine’s Tribal Wellness Court. The Wellness Court does not mix the participants into one group, so the primary concern that leads to people being turned away from a regular drug court is nonexistent. Instead, the Wellness Court surrounds participants with their own natural supports, helping them grow into recovery organically and strengthening their accountability and relationships with the people who know them and love them. 

I am committed to using the power we have as prosecutors to help families and individuals access recovery. 

Protecting victims and witnesses is a critical part of my job as District Attorney. That is why I expanded the Victim & Witness Advocate (VWA) program to give victims information and confidence to navigate the judicial process. I also created a dedicated space for victims and witnesses at our historic courthouse — the “Lois Galgay Reckitt Room” — so victims can wait to appear in court without encountering perpetrators.

Email me at sartoris4da@gmail.com