Doster

Plaintiff San Diego Deputy Sheriff Michael D. Doster was served with an “order of termination” on February 25, 1986, setting forth a number of charges alleging incompetence. On June 18, 1986, the San Diego County Civil Service Commission found Doster guilty of several of those charges, but ordered him reinstated to his position as deputy sheriff with full pay and benefits. The commission determined Dost-er was “guilty of incompetency . . . and of inefficiency ... in that he failed to prepare any report on September 30, 1985 and failed to include the license number in his report on December 13, 1985, . . . [but] the[se] acts . . . are not of a serious nature as to justify termination.”

After Doster returned to full duty he received a letter dated July 16, 1986, from San Diego County Undersheriff Richard E. Sandberg placing a number of restrictions on him including the removal of his peace officers’ powers and limiting his ability to volunteer for other assignments within the sheriff’s department. The letter did not contain specific allegations of misconduct or information which explained the reasons for the undersheriff’s actions.

On August 7 Doster’s counsel requested…