After a "thorough investigation," Maryland authorities have decided to retain the head of a state-run youth detention center in Baltimore County despite his forced resignation from a similar post in Georgia two years ago, officials said yesterday.

Last month, The Sun reported that Wallis Norman, acting superintendent of the Charles H. Hickey School, had been forced out of Georgia's juvenile justice department for trying to hide assault allegations made by an incarcerated youth in his care.

"The department conducted a thorough investigation, both of [Norman's] current job performance" and also of his past in Georgia, said Beth Blauer, chief of staff at the Department of Juvenile Services. "Based on the outcome of the investigation and the valuable contribution he's made to our agency, the department has decided to retain him."

Blauer said Norman, who was hired at Hickey in 2006 under former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s administration, disclosed the circumstances of his Georgia resignation when he came to Maryland.

According to records, Georgia officials concluded in 2005 that Norman, then assistant director of the Griffin Regional Youth Detention Center south of Atlanta, had ordered a correctional officer to delete from a "special incident report" claims that a youth at the facility had been assaulted by a guard.

"Mr. Norman has apologized for his actions and has agreed to attend remedial training on proper documentation procedures," DJS spokeswoman Tammy Brown said in a statement yesterday. He has "continued to be open and forthcoming during the course of the investigation."

News of Norman's background surfaced a month after the state's director of juvenile detention resigned amid reports that he had been found to be responsible for child mistreatment at a private youth-treatment center in Montana.

Both revelations prompted calls from advocates for more diligent background checks by the state.

Juvenile Services Secretary Donald W. DeVore said in January that he was unaware of Norman's problems in Georgia but that he would investigate.

Blauer said DeVore has also completed a thorough background search on all senior DJS managers, particularly those directly responsible for court-committed youth. She said the department will continue to undertake "detailed background investigations" on all new hires.

Department officials praised Norman's oversight of the long-troubled Hickey school. He has also received high marks from juvenile monitors with the attorney general's office, according to Marlana Valdez, the head of the independent monitor's office.

A proposed $37 million detention facility on the Hickey campus has been made part of Gov. Martin O'Malley's sweeping $200 million overhaul plan for the state's juvenile justice facilities.

gadi.dechter@baltsun.com