Geoff Dean is glad to be back in uniform, but Sheriff Bob Brooks has made it clear he doesn't agree with a civil commission's decision to allow the 31year veteran to return to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

"I disagree with (the commission's) determination that a termination was not warranted," Brooks said.

Dean, a 52-year-old Camarillo resident, returned to the sheriff's department as a commander on March 23 three months after the Ventura County Civil Commission Board ruled that Brooks' decision to fire the former chief deputy was "clearly excessive."

"It's just wonderful being back doing the job I love," said Dean.

Dean announced last week his intention to run for sheriff if Brooks, 58, decides not to seek a fourth term as the county's top cop in 2010. Brooks said he will announce in June whether he plans to retire or to run again.

If Brooks doesn't run, it will be the first time in more than 30 years that the election for sheriff will include more than a single candidate.

Brooks said his decision to fire Dean "wasn't politically motivated."

"That's a misconception that has been spread pretty broadly," Brooks said.

Dean gave the commission's 13-page report to the Acorn last week. Dean said he released the confidential report to explain why he was put on leave last summer.

"The public needs to know exactly what happened if I'm going to ask those people to vote for me," Dean said.

Department politics

When he was fired last June, Dean held the rank of chief deputy.

The sheriff selects four chief deputies for the county. Each chief oversees a different division within the department and reports to the undersheriff, the sheriff's second in command.

According to the report, Dean and Brooks met privately in late 2007 to talk about Dean's possible bid for sheriff in 2010. Dean learned that Brooks wanted thenChief Dep. Chris Godfrey to be the next sheriff, the report said.

Although Godfrey and Dean both wanted to run for sheriff, Brooks said he didn't want either of them to campaign or seek the support of colleagues until he'd made his own decision whether or not to run. Brooks said he gave the edict because he wanted to avoid "political infighting."

Less than three months later, Brooks replaced Dean with Godfrey as the head of patrol services, which is considered a highly visible post. Dean was transferred to head the jails.

According to the report, Dean said the switch of commands by Brooks was made to "promote Godfrey over him" in the 2010 election.

Brooks said he didn't move Dean to keep him from running for sheriff. Brooks said he made the change for other reasons. He wanted to ensure that both men interested in running for sheriff better understood the department as a whole, Brooks said.

Godfrey wasn't head of patrol services for long. He announced his retirement about two months later. After leaving office, Godfrey admitted to Dean he didn't think he could beat him in a race for county sheriff.

Brooks fired Dean two weeks later- after Godfrey announced his retirement.

The database

The report talks about a computer database kept by the sheriff that contained "information on campaign donors as well as those who could be expected to make non-monetary, but very valuable contributions to the success of a campaign."

The commission ruled that Dean committed insubordination in 2008 by asking the sheriff's secretary about details of the database. The request violated Brooks' earlier order that his staff wasn't to engage in "campaigning or politicking" until the sheriff decided whether he would seek reelection or retire, the report said.

Dean admits he asked about the size of the file for political reasons, but said he never asked for a copy of the file.

"(Dean) asked about the size of the database because knowing how large it was would be helpful in determining how hard he would have to work to overcome the fundraising advantage it would give Chief Dep. Godfrey," the report said.

'A personal insult'

The commission ruled that Dean's infraction "was minor" and didn't merit his termination. The department was ordered to reinstate Dean as a chief deputy and give him back-pay retroactive to Aug. 1, 2008.

Upon returning to uniform, Dean said he voluntarily stepped down to commander, a rank below chief deputy. He's in charge of the deputies in the county courts and reports to Chief Dep. Mark Ball.

The commission said it ordered Dean's reinstatement partly because he had no record of prior discipline issues, had numerous commendations and was lauded by several high-ranking police officials from other agencies.

The report said Brooks took the matter very personally and "appeared to have internalized" Dean's transgression and perceived it "as a personal insult," and that he was "very upset" with Dean.

The commission recommended an election should be held without "undue influence from within the department."