(The Center Square) – Calls are growing louder for the resignation of Ross Hunter, the director of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families who was appointed to the position by Gov. Jay Inslee.
Pressure has been mounting for months over critical safety issues and violence directed at staff and inmates at the Green Hill School teen detention facility in Chehalis, which falls under the direction of DCYF.
Sen. John Braun, R-Chehalis, is among the lawmakers calling for Hunter’s resignation. He is also blasting majority Democrats for policies that he said have caused the crisis.
In February, Braun called for an investigation into the facility “after it was discovered staff failed to turn over to the police drug paraphernalia that was confiscated from inmates. Housing adults with juveniles, inadequate staffing, poor training, lack of enforcement of safety and security procedures, and illegal handling of contraband has created a volatile environment for inmates and staff.”