Coral Springs Police Chief Clyde Parry.

A Message from Coral Springs Police Chief Clyde Parry

June is upon us, and that means that temperatures will be rising. As it gets, hotter many of us will take to the pool to cool down.

As many of you know, one of the leading causes of accidental death for children in South Florida is drowning. Unlike so many tragedies we deal with in the law enforcement profession, drowning is entirely preventable. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or caregiver, I encourage you to:

• Learn CPR
• Never leave children unsupervised near any body of water – not even for a moment.
• Sign your children up for swimming lessons
• Never rely on flotation devices to protect your child in any body of water
• Install a pool fence and alarms on every door that leads to water
• The safety of our children has and will remain our number one concern. I hope it is your number one concern as well.

Along with the summer months comes hurricane season. The best time to start preparing for hurricane season is yesterday. The second-best time is right now. We have been extremely lucky over the last few years. My fear is; that with luck comes complacency. Please don’t rely on luck and start to prepare your home and your family for a direct hit from a hurricane. Some of the items you should have in your hurricane preparedness kit include enough food and water for every person in your house for at least three days. You should also have batteries and chargers for flashlights, cellphones, and radios. If it is possible, fill your prescription medication so you will always have enough on hand. You should also keep your gas tank filled and have cash in your wallet. For a complete list of hurricane preparedness, please visit our website.

As in May, June brings us many recognitions. June is Pride Month, a month where we recognize the impact that LGBTQ individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. I am very proud of the contributions our LGBTQ members have made to our department and our community.

June 3 is a day most cops celebrate with glee! It is National Doughnut Day! I look forward to partaking in the sweet doughy treat that is proof that God loves us!

June 14 is flag day. It is a great day to hoist old glory and show pride in our Country. June 14 is also the Army’s birthday, so I wish happy birthday to the United States Army and thank all the men and women who have served in the Army for their service to our Country.

June 19 is the day we celebrate the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. On that day, our city will hold our third annual Juneteenth celebration. We hope you can join us.

June 20 is Father’s Day. If you can, spend time with your dad; please cherish that time and don’t waste it. My dad is gone from this earth, but his spirit is alive and with me. If you still have yours, tell him you love him and celebrate his day!

Our department is busy gearing up for our Police Summer Youth Camp, which provides arts, sports activities, games, tutoring, and so much more to underserved children in our community. Our officers have run this award-winning summer youth camp since 2015. It is a great way for our officers to build bonds with the underserved youth in our community.

This will be the last message I will send out as the Chief of Police for the City of Coral Springs. I am retiring after completing 36 years in law enforcement, 35 of those in Coral Springs. Although the calendar says 35 years, it doesn’t feel like it has been that long.

A wise man once said, “Find something you love, and you will never work again.” It has truly been a pleasure to serve this community. There has been some pain and sorrow over the years, and I am not the same person who first pinned a badge on my chest in 1986. I have seen the evil in the world and the horrible things people can do to each other. But I have also seen the good in humankind. I guess you can never experience the highs if you don’t witness the lows. I am thankful that I experienced so many more highs than lows.

I am thankful for all the great people who have influenced me along the way. I have had so many positive role models that it would be impossible to mention them all here. I have strived to influence others, to pay it forward. I hope I have been successful in that regard. I am thankful for all the great friends I have made along the way. Citizens, business owners, committee members, and co-workers. The kindness they have shown me is something I can never forget.

Lastly, I want to thank all the men and women who served with me in the Coral Springs Police Department. I love cops because they run toward danger when common sense would scream “runaway.” The men and women of our department (both civilian and sworn) are some of the most professional, dedicated, and hardworking civil servants you could ever find. It has been one of the pleasures of my life to lead you. Thank you all.

Our new Chief is Brad McKeone, an amazing leader and talented law enforcement professional. I am proud to call him a friend. I have no doubt that he, and his command staff, will take the department further than I ever could. The citizens of Coral Springs (of which I am one of them) are in good hands. Good luck to all the incredible people who make up the Coral Springs Police Department. I love you all! Be safe!

Lastly, if you haven’t already connected with me on Facebook, don’t worry about it; it is too late. Be safe and live well!

Clyde Parry

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