[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 13165-13166]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    REMEMBERING DIRECTOR ROBERT PARKER OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY POLICE 
                               DEPARTMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wilson) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. 
I am deeply saddened by the death of former Miami-Dade County Police 
Director Robert Parker. I extend my sincerest sympathies to his family 
at this difficult time.
  Director Parker was a friend and a true humanitarian. Throughout his 
career in law enforcement with the Miami-Dade County Police Department, 
he was committed to making south Florida a safer place to work, to 
live, and to visit. He was well respected and celebrated, and he fought 
to create opportunities for men and women of color.
  As a longtime mentor and leader of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence 
Project, Director Parker worked closely with me to save at-risk 
minority boys and young men.
  His impact is evident by the thousands of success stories of Role 
Model boys who, under his mentorship, have gone on to college and 
thriving careers. The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project in south 
Florida owes Director Parker a huge debt of gratitude.
  Director Parker testified before Congress on behalf of violence in 
the Black community. He testified before Congress about the tragic 
death of Trayvon Martin. He went on to be featured on CNN, MSNBC, and 
all of our local TV shows.
  Because of his knowledge, he went on to serve as a consultant for 
cities all over this country. Our boys and our community were so very, 
very proud of this wonderful role model.
  Mr. Speaker, Director Parker adored his family, his sweet, sweet 
grandchildren, his daughter, Kalika, his son, Robert, Jr., his son, 
Kyron, and his devoted wife and the love of his life, Veronica.
  Our great Nation has lost a patriot who lived to embody the 
principles of equality, justice, and freedom upon which America is 
founded. To fully understand our loss, you must first understand the 
treasure that we all shared in Director Parker.
  Director Parker showed a bright intellect and caring nature, growing 
up as a child in the rural community of Monticello, Florida.
  He bravely served in the United States Army. He joined the Miami 
Police Department in 1976, when it was still known as the Dade County 
Police Safety Department. He was a bright and eager young officer who 
wanted to make his community safer.
  Mr. Speaker, Director Parker was an officer's officer. He worked 
hard, and he made great sacrifices for his career through the love and 
support of his family.
  He enjoyed a storied rise up the ladder of police leadership because 
of his determination to solve crimes. He was affectionately called 
``Bobby'' by his friends and colleagues, but he was also nicknamed 
``Marathon Man.''
  He famously earned that name by giving a foot chase to catch one of 
the most notorious thieves in Miami-Dade County history.
  The suspect had consistently eluded capture because he was too crafty 
and fast for most officers, but not too fast for Robert Parker.
  His determination is what set him apart from others. He did not view 
his responsibility to his community as an adjective, something that was 
hard or tedious. However, he saw it as a verb. It was something that he 
had to do.

[[Page 13166]]

  He was never concerned about the spotlight or awards, but his dutiful 
nature and bravery made it almost impossible to deny him recognition.
  Mr. Speaker, Director Parker's service to south Florida and our 
Nation had an underlying theme that permeated everything he did: his 
love for his community.
  He understood that the best police officers are not the police who 
wore the badges, but the best police officers were the people who paid 
their mortgages, who sent their kids to school, and who worked hard to 
build their community.
  Residents were always quick to ignore the false notion of no 
snitching and gave Director Parker information that solved crimes.
  His sense of community and respect eventually led to his promotion to 
director of the Miami-Dade Police Department in 2004. His appointment 
was historic by his being the very first African American to hold that 
post, and he opened the door for many others to follow.
  Dade County has the largest police force in the southeast United 
States, leading over 4,700 sworn and civilian employees.
  As director, he worked to create a more diverse agency and create 
opportunities for minorities and women. He was an exemplary leader and 
even earned the respect of the police union.
  He retired in 2009 after 33 years. Our mentors look up to him. His 
absence will create a huge void.
  Mr. Speaker, America has lost an iconic law enforcement officer. His 
legacy will live in the hearts of all of us forever. My remarks will be 
entered into the official Congressional Record, and they will then be 
permanently placed in the Library of Congress.

                          ____________________