An employee of the Spring Creek Youth Services Center in Colorado Springs has been arrested on the charge of assault in the second degree, a class four felony, and child abuse, a class one misdemeanor. That employee, Dean Hawkinson, has been placed on administrative leave. 

The charges stem from a September 12 incident in which the staff member at the facility was accused of grabbing a Spring Creek youth by their arm and squeezing their neck. According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, the incident was first reported to authorities the same day. The youth involved was medically cleared after the incident and is no longer at the facility. 

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, the agency first learned of an allegation of assault at the facility on September 29, 2016, when a juvenile detainee stated they had been assaulted by a staff member. The alleged assault was said to have taken place September 12.

An investigation was initiated by the department’s Special Victims Section, Crimes Against Children Unit, which lead to probable cause to arrest Hawkinson. A warrant was issued, and Hawkinson turned himself in to the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center Thursday.

The facility has been under scrutiny for a number of incidents, including a riot in September 2016 that was recorded and posted to the YouTube video sharing service. Numerous allegations were made by center employees to the Colorado Springs Gazette last year after the then-head of the center left the facility.

“The Division of Youth Corrections condemns the alleged actions in the strongest possible terms,” said Anders Jacobson, director of the Division of Youth Corrections. “The Division has welcomed the involvement of the Colorado Springs Police Department, El Paso County District Attorney’s Office, and the El Paso County Department of Human Services, and we will continue to cooperate fully with their investigation.” 

“The Division of Youth Corrections not only encourages employees to report incidents of abuse and neglect – we require it,” Jacobson said. 

The alleged incident occurred prior to a re-organization at the Spring Creek facility designed to improve staffing levels and safety at the facility. On October 1, the Division of Youth Corrections re-organized Spring Creek to house only detained youth awaiting trial, which capped the population of youth there at 51. Prior to the change, there was one staff member for every 10 youth at the facility. Now, there is one staff member for every five youth at the facility. 

The re-organization has greatly improved safety measures. In September 2016, there were 21 fights and assaults at Spring Creek (1.06 per 100 beds). In January 2017, there were just four fights and assaults (0.29 per 100 beds). 

Photo: Dean Hawkinson. Courtesy Colorado Springs Police Department.