Census Bureau's Detroit boss replaced

By The Post's Carol Morello
The longtime regional Census Bureau director in Detroit has been replaced, but census officials are declining to discuss the reasons behind the unusual move, which comes in the middle of census season.

Dwight P. Dean, a census employee since 1969 and regional director for the past 13 years, no longer has managerial responsibilities as of late last week, said Burton Reist, a census spokesman. Dean remains on the payroll, Reist said. When asked what work Dean was doing, Reist said, “I’m not sure.” Asked if Dean was on leave, Reist declined to comment further, saying it was a personnel matter.

The Detroit office is one of 12 regional offices that are coordinating field work in which census takers are going door-to-door to interview people who did not send in their questionnaires for the 2010 Census. It covers operations in three states: Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.

In Dean’s absence, the Detroit office will be headed by the regional director in North Carolina, Wayne Hatcher.

“Detroit’s in good hands,” Reist said.

According to a census biography, Dean was awarded the Department of Commerce’s bronze and silver medals in 1986 and 1991.

Attempts to reach Dean were unsuccessful.