Andre Parker, new interim head of the Springfield Park District police department, is a hands-on leader.
Don’t believe it? Check out the restrooms in department headquarters, which Parker, a self-acknowledged clean freak, scoured himself on his first day of work.
“I like things to be orderly and clean,” says Parker, who started work on Aug. 4. “There hadn’t been someone in a leadership position for awhile. My experience as a Marine is, if you need to get something done, get it done. … At the same time, you’re sending a message to officers: We’re all in this together. If you’re waiting around for your mom to come clean, it isn’t going to happen.”
Parker, a retired Illinois State Police commander, brings a national reputation to the park district’s department, which has been in tumult and without a leader since Capt. Jonathan Davis resigned in May after being placed on administrative leave in January (Law EnFARCEment, June 11, 2015). While working for the state police, Parker was tapped to turn around the East St. Louis Police Department in 1993. Crime plummeted, more than 30 officers were added to the force, a police labor dispute was settled and the city gave Parker a medal when he left after 13 months. And he was also in charge of the fire department.
In 1999, Parker turned down an offer to become head of the New Jersey State Police. In 2002, he became chief of the Richmond Police Department in Virginia, then returned to the Illinois State Police after two years and became head of the state police training academy. After retiring from the state police in 2006, he became a consultant. He has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Illinois in Champaign.
The park district department has three fulltime officers and problems so serious that the district has called in the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police to conduct a review and recommend improvements, with the park board not ruling out the possibility of dissolving the department. Parker will remain at his post no longer than six months, said Derek Harms, park district executive director.
“He’s to provide clear direction and leadership and management and mentor our officers,” Harms says. “We certainly need a leader during this transitional time.”
Parker will help the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police identify issues that need to be addressed and recommend solutions, and the district expects to start getting preliminary reports in a month, Harms said. Parks is being paid $1,300 per week.
Parker, whose official title is interim supervisor of police operations, says that he’s not interested in becoming the permanent chief.
“I made that clear when I agreed to accept the assignment, it was not to exceed six months,” Parker said. “It may end sooner than that. … Every day I’m here is a day I can’t play golf. I was enjoying my retirement very much and am looking forward to getting back to it.”
Parker wins top marks from Jim Cimarossa, retired assistant chief of the Springfield Police Department, who considers Parker a friend.
“Andre, he’s definitely one of the better ones,” said Cimarossa, who is now chief deputy marshal at the Illinois Supreme Court. “He’s very good at policy and procedures. He’ll get them back in control, where they need to be, and we’ll see what happens after that.”
Contact Bruce Rushton at [email protected].
