By Kyle Coppola
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Robert Parker Retires
Tavares, Fla. — After nearly three decades of dedicated service to the community, Corporal Robert “Rob” Parker is officially retiring from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Corporal Parker’s career in law enforcement began in June 1996 with the Tavares Police Department before he transitioned to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in September 1999, where he became a respected figure in multiple capacities.
During his tenure, Parker served in Uniform Patrol, where he quickly distinguished himself and earned the role of Field Training Officer (FTO). His dedication led him to the Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB), where he focused on Economic Crimes before transferring to the Special Victims Unit, handling some of the most sensitive cases. His leadership was recognized with a promotion to Corporal, a role in which he returned to Uniform Patrol.
Beyond his patrol duties, Corporal Parker took on significant supervisory responsibilities, leading teams in the School Resource Unit, Criminal Investigations, and the Civil Unit. His commitment to specialized operations included serving on the Bike Unit and acting as Co-Team Leader for the Dive Team, where he attained his PADI Dive Master certification.
A well-rounded officer and educator, Parker shared his expertise with new recruits and seasoned officers as an instructor at the Lake Tech Academy. He taught courses on Firearms, First Aid, Police Mountain Bike operations, Underwater Search and Recovery, and School Crossing Guard safety.
In addition to his local service, Parker also worked with the U.S. Marshals Service from 1998 to 2007.
As he steps into retirement, Corporal Parker leaves behind a legacy of professionalism, dedication, and community service. We are so appreciative of his service for all of these years and continuing to keep us safe.
Thank you, Corporal Parker, for your many years of service.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
