ORANGE : Ceremony to Honor Former Police Chief
Michael D. Parker, a former police chief who died of cancer earlier this year, will be honored Thursday during a dedication ceremony that will rename the Batavia Street Police Department headquarters in his memory.
Parker’s family, friends and some city officials will gather for the private ceremony to rename the police complex the Michael Parker Police Facility. The event is closed to the public.
Parker, who died at 48 last March after a five-year battle with bone cancer, oversaw the planning and construction of the high-tech facility. Mayor Gene Beyer announced plans to rededicate the building shortly after Parker’s death.
Beyer and other council members will attend the morning dedication. County Supervisor Gaddi Vasquez is expected to participate in a ceremonial flag raising.
Parker joined the Orange Police Department in 1963 and was named chief in January, 1990. He is survived by his wife, Kathy, and three children.
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