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Five CPS Employees Fired Following Abuse Cases Probe

Five senior-level managers from Arizona’s Child Protective Services were fired Wednesday morning. The terminations were the result of a probe into the agency’s mishandling of about 6,500 child abuse and neglect cases.

The probe was conducted by the Department of Public Safety. It revealed that five senior-level managers oversaw the cases in question and closed them in a manner that violated state policy. A sixth manager at the Department of Economic Security was also terminated.

Charles Flanagan is the director of the Division of Child Safety and Family Services, a new agency the governor created to replace CPS when the mismanagement came to light. He said the report gave him the evidence he needed to terminate those responsible.

"I was shocked to determine that this agency has such a low level of reliance on, or respect for policy or procedure, or policy or procedure compliance, and quite frankly statutory compliance," Flanagan said.

DES director Clarence Carter will be keeping his job. The report found that he was unaware of the practices happening within CPS.  

In a written statement, Gov. Jan Brewer said she will be calling a special session of the legislature in the near future to address the issue.

Carrie Jung was a senior field correspondent from 2014 to 2018.