William H. Parker (police officer)

William H. Parker
Parker in 1965
Born
William Henry Parker III

(1905-06-21)June 21, 1905
Lead, South Dakota, U.S.
DiedJuly 16, 1966(1966-07-16) (aged 61)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Police career
CountryUnited States
DepartmentLos Angeles Police Department
Service years1927–1966
Rank
Chief of Police

William Henry Parker III (June 21, 1905 – July 16, 1966) was an American law enforcement officer who was Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) from 1950 to 1966. To date, he is the longest-serving LAPD police chief. Parker has been called "Los Angeles' greatest and most controversial chief of police".[1] The former headquarters of the LAPD, the Parker Center, was named after him. During his tenure, the LAPD was known for police brutality and racism;[2] Parker himself was known for his "unambiguous racism".[3][4]

  1. ^ Buntin, John (2009). L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City. New York: Harmony Books. ISBN 9780307352071. OCLC 431334523. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  2. ^ Samad, Anthony Asadullah (April 25, 2009). "The New William H. Parker Center Controversy: Revisionist History Cannnot[sic] Override Long Racial Legacy". laprogressive.com.
  3. ^ "The Short, Fraught History of the 'Thin Blue Line' American Flag". The Marshall Project. June 8, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference change was invoked but never defined (see the help page).