Neil McLean Submitted photo

Party affiliation: Republican

Current position: Deputy district attorney, District 3, Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.

Years in practice: 15 years

Education: Bachelor of Science, University of Colorado, Denver; juris doctorate, Maine School of Law

Personal information (hobbies, etc.): Parks and games with my children. Reading military histories. Sports. Fishing. Hiking.

Family status: Married; father of four children ages 17, 14, 12 and 5.

What would be your top priority as district attorney if elected?

The top priority for any district attorney must be public safety. It is what the people elect them to do, and it is what I have been doing for more than 15 years now. I will continue to work collaboratively with law enforcement, and I will continue to build bridges into the community to establish relationships and locate resources to effectively combat crime. To ensure the greatest degree of public safety possible, my office will balance holding people accountable for criminal conduct, as well as collaborate on alternative sentencing and treatment whenever appropriate to address root causes of criminal behavior.

Would you support dismissing all nonviolent misdemeanor charges against defendants in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties in order to reduce the backlog of criminal cases docketed in those counties? Why/why not?

I would not. The Legislature enacts laws. The people do not elect a DA to disregard them. Such a policy has too great a potential to embolden criminals, increase crime, erode public confidence, destabilize public civility, and diminish public safety. This would be abject failure of responsibility to the public.

If not, what measures would you support to bring down the caseloads?

We need a collaborative effort. Courts need to provide more time for hearings, trials and limit repeated continuances. Prosecutors need a stricter screening process where every case receives immediate scrutiny rather than blanket dismissals after approval. Where appropriate, we need substantive discussions between parties focused on early disposition of cases.

Would you support as district attorney not seeking cash bail for defendants charged with nonviolent misdemeanor crimes, and why?

Generally, nonviolent misdemeanors receive summonses. The rare instance an arrest occurs, usually results in a no-cash personal recognizance bail. On Oct. 7, Androscoggin County jail housed 147 inmates. Zero being held solely based on nonviolent misdemeanors. Suggesting people are regularly held on nonviolent misdemeanors and low bail is false.