William H. Parker (police officer)
| William H. Parker | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 21, 1905 Lead, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | July 16, 1966 (aged 61) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Police career | |
| Department | Los Angeles Police Department |
| Country | United States |
| Years of service | 1927–1966 |
| Rank |
 |
William Henry Parker III (June 21, 1905 – July 16, 1966) was the police chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and has been called "Los Angeles' greatest and most controversial chief of police". He was the longest serving police chief and served on the force 39 years. The former headquarters of the LAPD, the Parker Center, was named after him.
Parker was born in Lead, South Dakota, and raised in Deadwood. His grandfather William H. Parker (1847-1908), was an American Civil War veteran who later served in Congress. The Parker family migrated to Los Angeles, California, in 1922, for better opportunities, when the city was advertised as the "white spot of America" during that period. Parker originally wanted to be an attorney, and studied at several colleges before enrolling in 1926 at the University of the West's Los Angeles College of Law, an institution which operated in the 1920s and 30s. He joined the Los Angeles Police Department on August 8, 1927, and continued his legal studies. Parker graduated with an LL.B. degree in 1930 and passed the bar exam, but opted to continue with the police department instead of practicing law.
He served as an LAPD officer for 15 years before taking a leave to fight in World War II. He attained the rank of captain as a planner and organizer of prisoner detention and policing in Sardinia, Normandy, Munich, and Frankfurt. Parker received the Purple Heart after being wounded during the Normandy invasion. His other awards included the French Croix de Guerre with silver star and the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity.
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