Two unions representing Portland Police officers want far-left activist District Attorney Jackie Sartoris out of the job and have formally endorsed her independent opponent and former longtime DA, Stephanie Anderson.
The Portland Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which represents patrol officers, and the Portland Police Superior Officers Association, which represents superior officers, endorsed Anderson after their members voted to support the challenger.
“Our members believe Cumberland County needs non-partisan, experienced, consistent leadership in the District Attorney’s Office. Police officers make difficult decisions every day and are accountable for those decisions. We expect the same from our elected District Attorney: careful evaluation of the facts, sound judgment, open communication, and a willingness to make difficult decisions when public safety and justice require them,” said the unions.
“At a time when Cumberland County faces significant challenges involving violent crime, repeat offenders, substance use, mental health, and the demands placed on police, prosecutors, courts, and community services—experienced leadership matters,” they added.
Anderson served as a Republican DA for Cumberland County for 28 years, from 1991 to 2018, and is now running as an independent against Democrat Sartoris.
Anderson’s past experience has been a pillar of her campaign, and she has positioned herself as the candidate who will make the community feel safe and who will fight for justice on behalf of victims without being influenced by partisan politics.
She brags on her campaign website that, in her time as DA, she established the state’s first juvenile unit and domestic violence unit, founded Maine’s first drug court, and appointed the state’s first human trafficking prosecutor.
Her campaign contrasts starkly with that of Sartoris, who has made “restorative justice” a priority.
Restorative justice policies typically prioritize rehabilitating criminals over securing justice for victims.
[RELATED: Cumberland DA Pushes “Restorative Justice” Program to Resolve Charges with “Community Dialogue”…]
In April, she announced a restorative justice program that would allow criminals, including some charged with serious felonies, to resolve their cases with “community dialogue” rather than jail time.
In 2024, she decided that her office would no longer prosecute drivers, including illegal aliens, for driving without a license, driving with a suspended registration, or driving an unregistered motor vehicle.
[RELATED: Maine’s Soros-Funded DA Will No Longer Charge Illegal Aliens for Some Traffic Violations…]
Her office has also been plagued with allegations of a hostile work environment, leading to the departure of Assistant District Attorney Valerie Adams.
Sartoris drew significant social media backlash last year after baselessly claiming in a Facebook post that alleged assassin Tyler Robinson was motivated by far-right ideology.
That controversy led her to temporarily delete her Facebook page.
