Robert “Bobby” Dean is a well-known, highly regarded and highly respected Homicide Investigator within the Southern California law enforcement community. He achieved a reputation as one of the most experienced, knowledgeable and credible Homicide, Violent Crime, Use of Deadly Force, Officer Involved Shooting, In-Custody Death and Critical Incident investigative experts within the State of Californ
ia. Dean has been a sworn law enforcement officer in both a voluntary and employed capacity for over 45 years. He began his law enforcement career in 1975 as a Volunteer Reserve Police Officer with the San Diego Police Department where he worked patrol and undercover assignments. On April 4, 1977, Mr. Dean accepted a sworn position as a Deputy Sheriff with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department where he served for the next 28 years. He worked many assignments; Corrections, Patrol, Investigative, Supervisory and Administrative. During that time, he gained vast expertise in the field of violent crime, complex murder cases and the Use of Deadly Force investigations. Specifically, Mr. Dean spent 8 years as a Sheriff’s Homicide Sergeant where he supervised Homicide Detectives, Criminalists and Crime Scene Specialists with their investigations. During his tenure with the Sheriff’s Homicide Detail, he investigated, supervised and consulted on over 250 murder, suspicious death, in-custody death and suicide cases and an additional 25 Officer Involved Shootings, Use of Deadly Force and In-Custody Death cases. Dean’s homicide experience includes the investigation of Special Circumstance Death Penalty cases, 1st and 2nd degree murder cases, both Voluntary and In-Voluntary manslaughter cases, justifiable homicide, self-defense cases, and Cold Case murder investigations. In December 2004, and after retiring from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Mr. Dean accepted a position as a Criminal Investigator I with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. He was promoted twice and eventually retired honorably from the District Attorney’s Office on October 18, 2019 as a DA Investigator III. Dean was initially assigned to the Superior Court Division to conduct following up investigations and prepare major cases for trial. After less than two years in that assignment, Mr. Dean was re-assigned to the District Attorney’s Special Operation Unit. In that assignment, and between 2006 and 2013, Mr. Dean was the Lead DA Investigator assigned to, and responsible for investigating all Officer Involved Shootings, Use of Deadly Force and In-Custody death cases that resulted in great bodily injury or death that occurred within the County of San Diego. For seven years, Mr. Dean responded to, investigated, reviewed and consulted on every Officer Involved shooting and In-Custody death case that occurred within the County of San Diego. During his tenure with the District Attorney’s Office, he investigated and consulted on an additional 50 homicide cases and over 125 Officer Involved Shooting and In-Custody Death cases. After retiring from the San Diego County DA's Office, Mr. Dean obtained his Private Investigators license and opened Bobby Dean Investigations. In this capacity, he now works for Law Firms, Attorney's, Municipalities, Defendants, family members, non-profits and third parties investigating and providing expert review and testimony in all of the above types of cases. Dean's CV is available upon request. Calif PI License #189087. Phone 619-213-3301.
