Alton C. Parker

Alton C. Parker was born in Windsor, Ontario, on July 3, 1907, where he would remain for the rest of his life.[1] Before his service with the Windsor Police Service, Parker, a mechanic by trade, worked as a foreman at a used car dealership.[2] He played an active role in the black community: the president of the Central Citizens Association, a group organized to address, among other things, the employment of black people in Windsor's public services, Parker was considered the most qualified candidate to enter the police force.[3]

At 34 years old, Parker was hired by the Windsor Police, working as a constable. Despite his appointment meeting with some resistance, Parker's professional demeanor swayed the opinion of fellow officers.[3] Nine years later, on July 28, 1951, he was promoted by Chief Constable Farrow to detective—the first black Canadian to receive such an appointment.[3][4] His popularity as a policeman was arguably superseded by his activism in the Windsor community: he was a founding member of the Apartment Living for Physically Handicapped Adults (ALPHA); in the 1960s, Parker became a board of directors member of Goodwill Industries, and hosted an annual event for youths at Broadhead Park, a cite renamed in his honor in 1976.[5]

Parker retired on December 30, 1970.[5] In 1976, he was appointed to the Order of Canada.[6] He also received the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship and the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.[5]

He died on February 28, 1989 at age 81; his funeral service attracted large crowds—so much so that the ceremony was broadcast to nearby churches to accommodate the amassed mourners.[5]