An investigation has found that state officials failed to do a thorough background check on the head of the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter. Department of Human Services officials reportedly failed to talk to David Proffitt’s former supervisors before hiring him as head of the state’s largest hospital for the mentally ill and dangerous. Officials also supposedly neglected to perform a 50-state criminal background check, or look into his educational background before hiring him. Officials say if they had, it’s possible Proffitt would not have been hired. He was forced to resign as head of the Security Hospital this week, amid complaints over his management style. A deeper screening would have shown red flags, including a prior assault arrest and misleading claims about his education. He had been the director of the hospital since last August, after reportedly being let go from a similar facility in Maine for many of the same reasons. Human Services Deputy Commissioner Anne Barry has vowed to change the way the agency vets top job applicants.