Former Miami-Dade Police Director talks about resignation

DORAL, Fla. (WSVN) -- Miami-Dade's former Police Director said, for now, he wants to relax and enjoy retirement.

It had only been 24 hours since Robert Parker officially gave up his role as police director for Miami-Dade County, and on Monday he spent his day playing golf. "In my case, I was already eligible to retire at 100 percent, five percent cut back means you're now working for 95 percent," explained Parker.

Parker was the first African American police director for Miami-Dade County. He was appointed in 2004 by then police director Carlos Alvarez, who is now the mayor.

The former police director rose through the ranks of the department while serving his community for more than 33 years, but on Friday he made the decision to call it quits hours after Alvarez instituted a five percent pay cut, which would have affected Parker. "The whole issue of what Miami-Dade County is facing with budget shortfalls is very real, and no one individual is important enough for that person's interest to be more important than the general interest of the County," said Parker.

Parker reflects on his days of director recalling some of the challenging moments. In 2007, four officers were shot and one, Jose Somohano, was killed.

Parker is no longer the director of a department with more than 4700 employees and a $548 million budget. Parker said, as for the the interim director James Loftus, "I'm sure he's going to perform very well, admirably and do everything in proper order."

Loftus has said he is very interested in taking the director's position permanently.

"I'm going to relax and enjoy my grandchild for right now," Parker said. "I'll think about what I want to do after the holidays," Parker said.

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