OKLAHOMA CITY – The Downtown Exchange Club of Oklahoma City recently presented Inspector Doug Parker of the Oklahoma City Police Department, Crimes Against Children Unit with the 2018 Officer of the Year Service Award.
The national project of the Exchange Club is the prevention of child abuse, and it is very fitting that the award be presented to Inspector Parker, who has devoted more than 10 years of his law enforcement career investigating crimes involving victims under 12 years of age as a Child Abuse Investigator.
Lt. Kylie Turner nominated Inspector Parker for this award. She summed up her nomination by saying, “Inspector Parker is the model of a capable and superior Crimes Against Children Investigator. His performance in his duties is exemplary.”
For the past 30 years, Inspector Parker has served as a public servant in law enforcement at both the national and local levels. He joined the Oklahoma City Police Department in 1999 and has worked as a Child Abuse Investigator with the Crimes Against Children Unit since September of 2005. In this position, he works all types of crimes involving victims under 12 years old, including homicides related to child abuse.
In his tenure with the unit, his investigations have led to countless life sentences against defendants convicted of unimaginable crimes. He has become recognized in the law enforcement community for his dedication to child crimes and the passion he demonstrates in his daily pursuit of those who injure and abuse children.
Inspector Parker is very passionate about his current position with the OCPD because, in his opinion, it is one of the few positions where he can actually make a difference and see the results. In his words, “The kids I see are too scared to speak for themselves. To be able to speak for them gives me personal satisfaction. Protecting children, parents and other members of society against bad individuals is a good feeling.”
Earlier in his career, Inspector Parker served in the United States Air Force and with the Norman Police Department. In the military he was assigned to work with nuclear security, the SWAT team and managed the entry control system for Ram Stiner Base in Germany, where he was stationed for four and a half years. He holds degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma, Southern Nazarene University and OSU-OKC in the fields of police science and management.
The National Exchange Club is a service organization with chapters located across the country. Three Exchange Clubs are active in the Oklahoma City and Edmond. Each club meets regularly to “exchange” ideas about the needs in the local community and how the membership can help fill those needs. Visit https://www.nationalexchangeclub.org to learn more about the Exchange Clubs.
