Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Mike Crews is stepping down at the end of this month and Governor Rick Scott named his interim replacement Monday afternoon. Crews is the first of Scott’s agency heads to resign since his re-election earlier this month.
In recent months, the state’s prison system has been in the news a lot frequently because of inmate abuse allegations. To address these issues, DOC Chief Mike Crews toured the state correctional facilities, fired prison guards, and implemented a number of reforms. And, during an interview last month, he said he felt it was his duty to make sure abuse didn’t occur under his watch.
“It’s a difficult life being incarcerated,” said Crews. “And, right now, with a lot of the things that have been exposed in the media over the past several months, if I had a son or a daughter or a loved one in the institution, I would be concerned too.”
Earlier in the day, the News Service of Florida first reported Crews’ resignation. The Associated Press is reporting Crews said he has taken another position in the criminal justice field.
According to the Governor’s office, Crews is retiring and his interim replacement is current Deputy Secretary Tim Cannon. His first day is Sunday. Crews is the third Secretary to resign and the longest serving DOC head under Governor Rick Scott.
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