Dallas County's juvenile board has again named former director Mike Griffiths as its interim leader to oversee the detention center.
The announcement comes three weeks after Darryl Beatty's resignation — the same week a surprise state inspection confirmed reports of poor conditions and treatment in the detention center.
The board appointed Griffiths in a special meeting Monday. In an interview with KERA News, he said he's ready to make fixes.
"There needs to be assessment of the department," he said. "And not only looking at any deficiencies, but also recognizing the strengths."
Some of those strengths include enrichment programs for teenagers and young adults, including culinary arts, welding, computer coding and art appreciation, like guitar lessons.
Griffiths led the juvenile department and detention center for 15 years beginning in 1995, and as interim head in 2018.
"My goal then, as it is now, is to restore that confidence and credibility," he said.
He added that he'll try to restore credibility in the department until a permanent leader is found — credibility with lawmakers, judges and prosecutors, as well as with Dallas County residents. But also, he said, with people within the agency itself.
"It's not just being responsive to stakeholders. It's being responsive to employees," he said. "Management by walking. That's important. That's key. It’s following through when a request is made. We should be responsive. Whether it's an employee or, again, a stakeholder.”
Juvenile board member and county commissioner Andy Sommerman said there are currently no other candidates.
"It was, 'here's Mike Griffiths, there's his resumé, do we all agree? Yes. See ya,'" he said. "It was the shortest juvenile meeting I've ever been in."
"[We've] just got to find the right person to take on the job permanently," he said.
Before his resignation, Beatty had continuously denied allegations by parents, employees and whistleblowers. His predecessor, Terry Smith, never returned to work following similar reports of negligence and mistreatment of minors at the detention center, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Griffiths began his career as a Dallas County detention officer in 1977. He was also executive director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department from 2012 to 2014 and a consultant at Mel Brown and Associates in Chicago since 2015, according to LinkedIn.
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