Chief Clyde Parry
By Kevin Deutsch
Coral Springs Police Chief Clyde Parry announced his retirement Friday, capping off a 35-year career in public service to the city.
Parry plans to retire on June 17, 2022, according to a City of Coral Springs press release.
“Clyde’s service extends beyond his leadership of the police department; he is a resident, mentor, and community volunteer who coached youth football for 30 years,” City Manager Frank Babinec said of Parry’s retirement. “Clyde has helped to develop the next generation of law enforcement, leaving the organization better than when he started. I am grateful for his service to Coral Springs and congratulate him as he enters this next chapter of his life.”
Parry relocated to South Florida in May of 1987, after spending a year as a police officer with the Derry Borough Police Department, outside Pittsburgh, Pa.
Early in his career with Coral Springs, Parry saw first-hand the effects drugs were having in the community and “committed himself to learning all he could about narcotics trafficking and drug smuggling,” the city said in its press release.
That commitment quickly earned Parry a position within the police department’s Vice Intelligence and Narcotics Unit, where he served for 18 years, the city said.
Reflecting on that experience, Parry said: “It is so important to prepare yourself for the opportunity before an opportunity presents itself. I started researching and learning about narcotics before a position was even available. That is an important lesson I learned early on in my career.”
In late 2006, Parry was promoted to the rank of sergeant. In 2010, he attained the rank of lieutenant.
After his promotion to captain, Parry developed the Burglary Enforcement and Reduction (BEAR) Unit when Coral Springs was experiencing an increase in home burglaries, according to the city.
“That unit led to great success in preventing home burglaries in our community and became the model for other departments who established similar units,” the city’s statement reads.
In March 2018, Parry was hired as the city’s sixth chief of police.
Parry’s promotion came shortly after the Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
In the attack’s aftermath, Parry made the mental health of his cops a priority.
“Early on in my career, I saw how an incident impacted a fellow officer, and later in my career, we lost a detective to suicide,” Parry said. “I know the violence at MSD impacted so many of our members, and I am proud with how we supported each other during that unthinkable tragedy and how we still support each other today.”
In its statement, the city said it “plans to promote the next Chief of Police from applicants within the organization” because of “the talent and dedication of the current leadership in place.”
According to the city, the next police chief will be announced in April 2022 and will work alongside Parry until his retirement.
The police department currently has 225 officers and 99 civilian members.
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Author Profile
- Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning crime journalist and author. A graduate of Florida International University, Kevin has worked on staff at The Miami Herald, New York Daily News, and The Palm Beach Post.
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