Brett Parson has been serving the Metropolitan Police Department, in Washington D.C, (MPDC) for over 25 years and involved in Law Enforcement for over 35 years. He is currently assigned to the Executive Office of the Chief of Police, where he oversees the department's Special Liaison Branch. He returned to this position in December 2017, after a short detail to the Metropolitan Police Department's Academy, where he oversaw several special projects for the Chief of Police, to include over-hauling the Field Training Officer Program, developing and implementing a training, mentoring, and leadership program for newly promoted First Line Supervisors, and training experienced and probationary officers and supervisors in the field. He also supervises the department's Family Support Team (FST), which is responsible for response to traumatic events involving the critical injury or death of MPDC's current and/or retired members and the notification to, and care of their surviving family members and co-workers. Until April 2016, he was assigned to MPDC's Patrol Services Bureau, in the city’s Sixth District, where he supervised the evening shift. (80-125 officers). Prior to returning to patrol in September of 2009, he was assigned to the Executive Office of the Chief of Police, where he commanded the department's Special Liaison Unit (SLU) and was an assistant to Chief Cathy Lanier. Under Parson's command were the department's four core liaison units (LGBT, Latino, Asian, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing). They are also working in the Islamic, Jewish, and African communities.

His career has taken him to all corners of the District of Columbia and the world, serving first as an officer and patrol supervisor in the Fourth District, in the city's Northwest quadrant. While at the Fourth District, Brett worked in patrol, Vice/Narcotics, Gun Recovery, and Investigations and served on several workgroups and committees. He has specialized in the enforcement of alcohol related crimes, Hate Crimes, as well as Domestic Violence investigations and has been recognized by the department, community and other agencies many times for his work, to include victim advocacy.

In 1999, he was transferred to the Sixth District (Southeast and Northeast quadrants of the city), where he was a patrol and investigative supervisor. He briefly supervised the Violent Crimes Investigative Unit, which is responsible for homicide and other violent crime investigations. From the Sixth District, Brett moved to the Major Narcotics Branch, where he supervised the city's elite Narcotics Strike Force, which infiltrated areas of violent crimes and conducted undercover narcotics operations, related to homicides and other violent crimes.

He was transferred from Major Narcotics, by former Chief Charles Ramsey, who tapped Parson to supervise the fledgling Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU). He remained involved with the GLLU's work, until September 2009, when he requested to return to patrol operations.

Even after leaving the GLLU, he continued to speak publicly regarding GLBT issues, and trains law enforcement in ways to better serve the GLBTQ+ communities. Community members, law enforcement and the media have recognized him as a national leader in GLBTQ-Police relations. Brett is nationally and internationally recognized as a resource for investigations involving crimes by, and against the GLBTQ communities and he has spoken and taught in several other countries on the subject of providing diverse policing, hate/bias crime enforcement and investigations and intimate partner violence. In recognition of this unique work, the GLLU was named the winner of the 2006 Innovations in American Government Award, by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government – Ashe Institute.

His teaching, speaking and advocacy has benefited the United States Departments of State, Justice, Defense, Interior, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Homeland Security, and Agriculture, as well as every branch of the United States Armed Services. He has worked for local and federal Law Enforcement agencies and non-profits around the globe, to include: the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), United States Secret Service (USSS), United States Postal Inspector, United States Capitol Police, United States Park Police, United States Marshall Service, Federal Protective Service, Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Naturalization Service. He has worked in England, Ireland, Wales, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, Mauritius, Australia, Austria, Netherlands, Mexico, Morocco and Norway. His work has taken him to venues such as the White House, Congress, United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Harvard University and the United States Department of Justice's Great Hall. He has consulted at the local, state, federal and international levels of government, as well as for small, medium and large companies and non-profit organizations with diverse interests, backgrounds and missions, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, United States Holocaust Museum and Memorial, Anti-Defamation League, National Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial and Museum, Concerns of Police Survivors, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Anti-Violence Coalition, Human Rights Campaign and Amnesty International, just to name a few. He has lectured at universities, colleges, and grade schools around the country (public and private, from Ivy League to community colleges), as well as countless law schools and police academies around the world.

Brett's experience speaking and instructing takes many forms (lectures, workshops, videos, PowerPoint, debate, practical experience, roll plays, etc.). He has extensive experience designing curriculums for various ages, populations and professions. He was an original architect and or consultant for several training curriculums, to include USA Hockey's National Instructor Training Program and National Elite Officiating Program, Department of Justice Community Relations Service's Transgender Law Enforcement Training, as well as specifically designed training sessions for the Metropolitan Police Department's Training Academy for Recruits and Experienced Police Officers and other Law Enforcement and government agencies around the U.S. and worldwide. He tailors each training session to meet the needs of the audience to meet them at their level of comfort and experience.

Brett received his B.A. (Criminal Justice/Spanish) from the University of Maryland at College Park and he pursued his M.A. at the same school, studying Criminal Justice and Counseling. He is a certified POST instructor in DC and Maryland. 2018 - Brett Parson has been serving the Metropolitan Police Department, in Washington D.C, (MPDC) for over 2 decades and involved in Law Enforcement for 30 years. He is currently assigned to the Executive Office of the Chief of Police, where he oversees the department's Special Liaison Branch. He returned to this position in December 2017, after a short detail to the Metropolitan Police Department's Academy, where he oversaw several special projects for the Chief of Police, to include over-hauling the Field Training Officer Program, developing and implementing a training, mentoring, and leadership program for newly promoted First Line Supervisors, and training experienced and probationary officers and supervisors in the field. He also supervises the department's Family Support Team (FST), which is responsible for response to traumatic events involving the critical injury or death of MPDC's current and/or retired members and the notification to, and care of their surviving family members and co-workers. Until April 2016, he was assigned to MPDC's Patrol Services Bureau, in the city’s Sixth District, where he supervised the evening shift. (80-125 officers). Prior to returning to patrol in September of 2009, he was assigned to the Executive Office of the Chief of Police, where he commanded the department's Special Liaison Unit (SLU) and was an assistant to Chief Cathy Lanier. Parson and Lanier were partners at the beginnings of the their careers. Under Parson's command were the department's four liaison units (Gay and Lesbian, Latino, Asian and Deaf and Hard of Hearing).

His career has taken him to all corners of the District of Columbia and the world, serving first as an officer and patrol supervisor in the Fourth District, in the city's Northwest quadrant, where he worked with Chief Lanier. While at the Fourth District, Brett worked in patrol, Vice/Narcotics, Gun Recovery, and Investigations and served on several workgroups and committees. He has specialized in the enforcement of alcohol related crimes, Hate Crimes, as well as Domestic Violence investigations and has been recognized by the department, community and other agencies many times for his work, to include victim advocacy.

In 1999, he was transferred to the Sixth District (Southeast and Northeast quadrants of the city), where he was a patrol and investigative supervisor. He briefly supervised the Violent Crimes Investigative Unit, which is responsible for homicide and other violent crime investigations. From the Sixth District, Brett moved to the Major Narcotics Branch, where he supervised the city's elite Narcotics Strike Force, which infiltrated areas of violent crimes and conducted undercover narcotics operations, related to homicides and other violent crimes.

He was transfered from Major Narcotics, by former Chief Charles Ramsey (Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department), who tapped Parson to supervise the fledgling Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU). He remained involved with the GLLU's work, until September 2009, when he requested to return to patrol operations.

Since leaving the GLLU, he continues to speak publicly regarding GLBT issues, and trains law enforcement in ways to better serve the GLBT communities. Community members, law enforcement and the media have recognized him as a national leader in GLBT-Police relations. Brett is nationally and internationally recognized as a resource for investigations involving crimes by, and against the GLBT communities and he has spoken and taught in several other countries on the subject of providing diverse policing, hate/bias crime enforcement and investigations and intimate partner violence. In recognition of this unique work, the GLLU was named the winner of the 2006 Innovations in American Government Award, by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government – Ashe Institute.

His teaching, speaking and advocacy has benefited the United States Departments of State, Justice, Defense, Interior, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Homeland Security. and Agriculture, as well as every branch of the United States Armed Services. He has worked for local and federal Law Enforcement agencies and non-profits around the globe, to include: the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), United States Secret Service (USSS), United States Postal Inspector, United States Capitol Police, United States Park Police, United States Marshall Service, Federal Protective Service, Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Naturalization Service. He has worked in Vietnam, Philippines, India, England, Ireland, Wales, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, Mauritius, Australia, Austria, Netherlands, Mexico, Morocco and Norway. His work has taken him to venues such as the White House, Congress, United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Harvard University and the United States Department of Justice's Great Hall. He has consulted at the local, state, federal and international levels of government, as well as for small, medium and large companies and non-profit organizations with diverse interests, backgrounds and missions, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, United States Holocaust Museum and Memorial, Anti Defamation League, National Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial and Museum, Concerns of Police Survivors, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Anti-Violence Coalition, Human Rights Campaign and Amnesty International, just to name a few. He has lectured at universities, colleges, and grade schools around the country (public and private, from Ivy League to community colleges), as well as countless law schools and police academies around the world

. Brett's experience speaking and instructing takes many forms (lectures, workshops, videos, powerpoint, debate, practical experience, roll plays, etc.). He has extensive experience designing curriculums for various ages, populations and professions. He was an original architect and or consultant for several training curriculums, to include USA Hockey's National Instructor Training Program and National Elite Officiating Program, Department of Justice Community Relations Service's Transgender Law Enforcement Training, as well as specifically designed training sessions for the Metropolitan Police Department's Training Academy for Recruits and Experienced Police Officers and other Law Enforcement and government agencies around the U.S. and worldwide. He tailors each training session to meet the needs of the audience to meet them at their level of comfort and experience. Brett received his B.A. (Criminal Justice/Spanish) from the University of Maryland at College Park (Go Terps!). From 1991-1993, he pursued his M.A. at the same school, studying Criminal Justice and Counseling. He is a certified POST instructor in DC and Maryland. A native Washingtonian and current resident, Brett's parents still live in the area, allowing him to unwind with family and life-long friends.