LACEY — Gov. Chris Gregoire has named Eldon Vail as secretary of the Washington state Department of Corrections.
Vail, who has worked at DOC for 31 years, has served as interim secretary since Nov. 24. He had retired in 2006, but returned to the department as deputy secretary last October.
He replaces Harold Clarke, who left to become the top prison official in Massachusetts
Vail said he will work to improve public safety, as well as meet the demands of an increasing offender population, including responding to the needs of offenders who are elderly or mentally ill.
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