Gainesville names Parrish as new police chief

GAINESVILLE – Gainesville has announced Police Chief Carol Martin’s successor when she retires January 31^st.

The announcement came at Tuesday evening’s city council meeting. 

“Tonight I am very pleased to announce to you and to our community that Jay Parrish will be the next police chief for the city of Gainesville,” City Manager Bryan Lackey said.

“When (Chief Martin) came into my office with her retirement notice I quickly tried to talk her out of it, but immediately I began to see that she was resolute,” Lackey said describing the day he first learned Chief Martin was leaving.  “I’m lucky to have her stay through the end of January.”

“So after that I knew that my next step was I needed to start a discussion with my deputy chief,” Lackey continued.

He said after many more discussions with Parrish, including topics such as policing philosophies, how to handle and lead through a tragedy or crisis and how to handle the growth that’s happening in Gainesville, he knew Parrish was the right person for the job.

According to a release from the city, Parrish began with the department in 2000, working as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Training Division Director, Captain of Support Services and Deputy Chief.

“Chief Martin has done a great job of successor planning,” Lackey said. “She’s done a great job getting Jay ready for this position.”

Parrish told council members, “I’m deeply honored and humbled and unbelievably excited to start this adventure.”

Parrish is a lifelong resident of Hall County, graduating from North Hall High School before receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from North Georgia College and State University in 1999.

He also served six years in the U.S. Marine Corp Reserve and in May, 2019, will be awarded a Master’s Degree in Public Safety from Columbus State University.  He also is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Parrish and his wife, Katie, have two children. 

He is an active member of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and the FBI National Academy Associates.  In addition he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Hall County, Gateway Domestic Violence Center, Three Dimensional Life Recovery Center, and the North Hall Community Education Foundation.

City council members congratulated and welcomed Parrish but also heartily thanked Chief Martin for the job she did.

Councilwoman Barbara Brooks told Parrish, “It means a lot to have somebody who is a native rise up through the ranks, take advantage of all the training and then to be promoted.  It says a lot about the leadership.”

Brooks said when she learned of Martin’s plan to retire she began asking rank and file members of the police department who they wanted to see as next chief.  “Every single person that I asked said you, and I did not lead them.”