Parks looks to revitalize business community in PG County

Derrick Parks (D-Lanham) believes he has the “talent and skills” to revitalize the business community in Prince George’s County. The owner of the Metropolitan Protective Services security firm, which provides uniform guard services, Parks told PolitickerMD.com that his experience “running a company” sets him apart from his seven opponents in the race to fill the open District 5 seat on the Prince George’s County Council.

While saying there were “land developers who would like to come” to Prince George’s, Parks said crime had to be addressed first.

The candidate said he would look to open an organization of “volunteer reserve police officers,” saying he would set a goal of having a 2 percent volunteer police force in the county, or roughly 250 additional unpaid officers.

Parks said such an increase in the police department without the adoption of new taxes on county residents was modeled after similar plans in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Washington, DC.

“Once we clean up the streets, I think businesses will want to come,” Parks said.

The business owner also said his lack of political experience would be a benefit to his campaign, as opposed to Adrion Howell (D-Glenn Dale), a lobbyist who served as the liaison to Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson from 2005 to 2007. He said that while Howell was “very capable” his “political ties” would make it difficult for him to “move the county in the direction it needs to go.”

Parks made similar comments about Andrea Fletcher Harrison (D-Springdale), saying her work as the deputy chief of staff for the District 5 council office would hurt her campaign.

“The average citizen is not satisfied with the council and the county executive,” Parks said, adding that it would not be “business as usual” if he is elected.

On other issues, Parks called for a reduction to school and class sizes’, saying, “I don’t think bigger schools are better schools.”

He also said he would like to see a salary increase for teachers, saying they “should be one of the highest paid professions.”

On the prospects of winning, Parks said, “I think I stand a pretty decent chance.”

While there are 46,000 eligible voters in District 5, Parks said he expected that “only ten percent will show-up,” adding to the significance of each vote.

The primary election is next Tuesday, April 1. Polls are open from 7:00AM to 8:00PM.