King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention is continuing to employ most of the officers in question while it disputes the state’s citizenship requirement.
The King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (DAJD) in Washington has acknowledged that dozens of its corrections officers were hired despite not meeting state immigration eligibility requirements. They are still employed by the county.
Under Washington state law, corrections officers must be US citizens, lawful permanent residents, or recipients under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. However, after a whistleblower complaint alleged that more than 100 hires might be ineligible, DAJD admitted that at least 38 officers failed to meet those criteria.
In a statement to The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle’s AM 770 KTTH, DAJD confirmed it had identified “38 corrections officers who were incorrectly certified as meeting the conditions of RCW 43.101.095(2)(b)(v).”
“All are fully trained as corrections officers and authorized to work in the United States,” the agency said. “King County is committed to safety and the fair treatment of these officers and continues to work closely with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC). We are keeping all available avenues of relief open at this time.”
The WSCJTC has the authority to revoke certifications for those who do not meet eligibility standards. Following the report, the commission suspended four new officer recruits.
Despite the legal restrictions, DAJD said it is continuing to employ most of the officers in question while it disputes the state’s citizenship requirement, arguing that individuals with valid work visas should be eligible to serve.
A DADJ spokesperson told The Jason Rantz Show, “To ensure the integrity of jail operations and the safety of our staff and those in our custody, most of the officers continue to work their assigned shifts while we have ongoing conversations with the CJTC about next steps. All officers who continue to perform duties have completed full training through the CJTC.”
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