Elijah Wells
Staff Writer
ESU Police Chief William Parrish is officially retiring.
Throughout his career, Chief Parrish has had an outstanding impact in providing safety for college students on campus, more specifically, for residents within the state of Pennsylvania.
According to Pocono Records, Chief Parrish always believed in developing “connectivity with the community,” something he has stood by during his 33-year career.
Chief Parrish was officially declared as the Chief of Police for ESU on March 19, 2016. Before this position, Parrish had experience working in law enforcement, previously serving in the Stroud Area Regional Police Department.
Parrish also served in the U.S. Army, attended the Military Police School, the Pennsylvania Police Training Academy, the Command Institute for Police Executives and the FBI National Academy.
According to ESU Insider, Parrish also received many awards and accolades throughout his career, including the Monroe County Bar Association’s Library Bell award, the Mitchel Palmer Award, and a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award.
Parrish’s dedication and passion to serve residents in Monroe County has always remained consistent, and his resume speaks for itself. But his passion for law enforcement wasn’t as high initially compared to now.
His original career major involved aerospace engineering. However, he later joined the military after realizing this was a career he wasn’t interested in. Parrish’s drive for law enforcement also derived from his watching and enjoying crime television shows, ultimately motivating him to pursue his career even further.
“I’ve always had a talent for problem-solving, and the satisfaction received from helping people is something that I value,” said Parrish.
ESU provided Parrish with the opportunity to work with other staff to develop a team format creating a strategy for student success on campus. His urge to help aid citizens has always been apparent, and his story regarding his reasoning and how he developed a passion for law enforcement remains very admirable.
“Being a police officer is not what I do, but it’s who I am,” said Parrish.
Chief Parrish is scheduled to retire from ESU on Friday, Feb. 2.
However, starting Monday, Feb. 5, Parrish will begin a job working with the Monroe District Attorney’s Office.
ESU will forever remember the positive impact that Parrish has had on the ESU campus community.
