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Cumberland County DA outlines $2.5M grant to inventory sexual‑assault kits and hire investigator
Summary
The district attorney told commissioners the county received a $2.5 million federal grant to inventory all sexual‑assault kits, expects to hire a grant‑funded investigator, and estimated about 500 kits countywide; the inventory timeline may take up to a year.
The Cumberland County District Attorney (on record as the District Attorney) gave an update to commissioners on a federal grant to inventory sexual‑assault kits and the office’s plans to hire an investigator.
The DA said the county was awarded a $2,500,000 federal grant to inventory every sexual‑assault kit in Cumberland County and to investigate potential cases uncovered by the work. The DA told the board the position is intended to be a temporary, grant‑funded assault investigator and that initial recruiting through the sheriff’s office produced little interest; the office therefore plans to hire the investigator directly through the DA’s office, which is a model used in other Maine counties.
On timeline and staffing, the DA confirmed the grant is a three‑year program and explained the ‘‘clock’’ for federal grants often counts from the award date; inventory schedules can vary and the DA said federal grant managers indicated inventories commonly take longer than early projections—sometimes up to about a year. The DA said the inventory work is already underway, that assistant DA Tina Pinedas has helped progress the work, and that once the investigator is on board the office will be able to double efforts.
The DA estimated ‘‘there are gonna be around 500 in Cumberland County’’ (kits) but said the office does not yet know how many are 'reported' versus 'unreported' under Maine law; only reported kits are eligible for testing under state law. The DA described plans to visit towns (Cape Elizabeth next among others) and to return to the board with fuller reporting in February or March on inventory progress and testing potential. The DA also flagged the need for a public‑awareness campaign to ensure victims understand reporting and testing options.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about scheduling, staffing and grant deadlines; the DA said federal partners in the Department of Justice have been supportive and that the county is coordinating with local law enforcement agencies to complete a countywide inventory.
