DAYTON, Ky. — The man who takes the helm Monday of this town's police force has a checkered past, having been fired as a chief from Fort Wright amid allegations of intimidation and for mishandling a sexual harassment complaint.

        But Dayton officials on Saturday said Mark Brown, 55, of Fort Wright is the right man to lead their eight-person department, which has been rocked this year with resignations and allegations of council meddling in police affairs.

        “Everyone deserves a second shot,” said Councilman Virgil Boruske, who served on the search committee. “Frankly, I couldn't be happier we were able to get someone with his level of experience since we only pay $42,000 a year.”

        Chief Brown served 28 years with the Cincinnati Police department before retiring as a sergeant in 1994.

“I feel like my hiring here is vindication,” Chief Brown said Saturday evening. “I want to redeem myself in the eyes of the community.”

        Chief Brown was fired from Fort Wright in August 1998 after being chief for three years.

        He said he was officially removed after a three-day administrative hearing in which he was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer. He said he was accused of using abusive language toward city employees and intimidating the city manager.

        Chief Brown's problems in Fort Wright appeared to have started after a female officer claimed he had intimidated her after she accused other officers of sexual discrimination and harassment.

        While a city investigation found no evidence to corroborate her claims, she filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The city's insurance company eventually settled the case for $80,000.

        Chief Brown, who most recently worked as a private investigator for a Cincinnati law firm, said he never got to tell his side of the story during the controversy in Fort Wright.

        “He told us about his problems, and we were satisfied with his explanation,” said Dayton Mayor Ron Gunning, who is responsible for hiring and firing the police chief for this city of 6,000.

        Dayton Councilwoman Kathy Volter, a member of the city's safety committee, which oversees the police department, said she learned of the hiring Friday from broadcast news reports.

        “I hope the mayor and the people on the interview board were aware of (Chief Brown's firing) when they hired him, and they can explain their decision to the council and the citizens of Dayton,” Ms. Volter said.

        Dayton Police have been without a steady chief since January when Greg Aylor announced he was leaving to take a lower-paying patrolman's job in Erlanger.

        The city moved quickly to fill the vacancy, hiring Fred Hildebrant a month later. Mr. Hildebrant, who retired as Dayton's police chief in late 1999, resigned after only one day on the job.

        At least two other people turned down offers to be chief before Thursday's hiring of Chief Brown.

        One of those candidates was from Ohio and didn't want to relocate to Kentucky, as required by state law. The other received a counter offer from his employer.

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