04/15/2026
Cumberland County to Celebrate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW)
April 19-25th, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2026
Portland, ME
Together with the Portland Police Department, the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office will hold a special press conference on Tuesday, April 21st at 11:00 AM, in celebration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) at the Maine Room, Portland City Hall.
Advocates from both agencies have worked together to create a unique theme – Strength Through Community – for this year’s event. This theme highlights the significant role that community resources play in assisting victims and survivors of crime with legal, financial, and medical support, among others. A comprehensive guide of resources available to victims in Cumberland County and Southern Maine will be unveiled during the conference, along with a special QR code for immediate access and use.
Speakers will include Cumberland County District Attorney Jacqueline Sartoris, Deputy District Attorney and leader of the Cumberland County S*xual Assault Team, Christopher Coleman, Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois, Cara Cookson, Director of Victim Services for the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Office, and survivors of crime in Cumberland County.
District Attorney Jacqueline Sartoris stated, “No one asks to be the victim of a crime. Our community partners help empower victims to choose how they participate in the criminal legal system, to support them as they recover their equilibrium, and to assure them that their experience is not their fault. We are grateful for the work our partners do in meeting victims where they are and lifting them up, every day.”
“National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an opportunity to recognize the strength of those impacted by crime and to reaffirm our unwavering support for them,” said Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois. “We are committed to ensuring every victim is treated with compassion, respect, and dignity, and that they have a voice throughout the justice process. Supporting victims is not just part of our mission, it is at the heart of what we do.”
For more information please contact Carly St. Pierre from the District Attorney’s Office at [email protected] or 207-871-8384. You may also contact Suna Shaw, Victim Witness Advocate Coordinator at the Portland Police Department, at 207-874-8519 or [email protected].