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Demmings to replace Parker as chief deputy for PCSD
A key member of Scott Stockton’s team in his first term as Putnam County sheriff will not be around the sheriff’s second term.
During a staff meeting on Monday, Stockton announced to sheriff’s department employees that Chief Deputy Phil Parker has accepted a position with the Clark County Sheriff’s Department, effective Aug. 1.
In his place will be veteran local officer Matt Demmings, who spent more than a decade with the sheriff’s department before spending the last 11-plus years with DePauw Public Safety.
In his position in Clark County, Parker will serve as a lieutenant colonel and will assist Sheriff Jamey Noel with administrative and human resources, which has been an area of expertise for Parker in his time with PCSD and with the Indiana State Police before that.
“As I think a lot of people in the community know, Phil has a very strong background in human resources and policy creation,” Stockton said. “That was one of the things that made me want to bring him here.”
Parker made a heartfelt farewell to the assembly of employees, telling the group that after 35 years in law enforcement, he would put the men and women of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department with the best of any professional police organization.
“When Scott was elected sheriff, he had a defined vision for the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department,” Parker said. “I really feel that over the past four years, Scott’s vision for the agency has come to fruition much as he had planned. Scott’s a believer in continuous improvement so there’s no doubt in my mind that as he has committed to the people here in Putnam County, he will continue to improve. But I think now it’s more polishing off the edges.
“If you look around, I think everybody notices the transformation of the sheriff’s department,” he continued. “It’s obvious. It’s been a very, very worthwhile undertaking. I’ve enjoyed it.”
Although instrumental in the department’s workings in recent years, Parker could also be a taskmaster. His role as policy guru forced him to play the assistant principal at times.
“Some of you are sad and some of you are elated and will do cartwheels,” Parker told the assembly.
“If you injure yourself doing cartwheels,” Stockton interjected, “that will not be a work -related injury.”
Stockton acknowledged that the improvements in the department’s human resources, professional standards, standard operating procedures, asset inventory, hiring process, facility upgrades and fleet management would not have been possible without the assistance of Parker.
“I’m sure going to miss Phil. That’s an understatement,”Stockton said.
Now Parker passes the mantle to Demmings, who most recently served as a detective with DePauw Public Safety.
A 1991 DePauw University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English comprehension, Demmings began his career in law enforcement in 1992 at the old Putnam County Jail. He served as a jail officer and was eventually elevated to jail commander.
He then served as a Cloverdale Police officer before being hired as a merit deputy in July 1996. In his time as a deputy, Demmings served in a number of roles, including chief deputy. He left the department in January 2007, taking a position with DePauw.
“The transition’s been good,” Stockton said. “Matt has a phenomenal demeanor — very level-headed.”
The sheriff noted that while Parker brought such an administrative background to the department, Demmings’ strengths lie elsewhere.
“With Demmings, I would say his strengths are sound decision making, which he has proven here before,” Stockton said. “He brings a lot of strengths that I’m looking for.”
Parker also gave his stamp of approval to his replacement.
“Everybody’s excited about Matt,” Parker said. “Scott did a good job picking the new one.”
For his part, Demmings is excited for the new position, but regrets that he doesn’t have more time to learn from Parker.
“I regret that I won’t have the chance to work for Phil,” Demmings said. “But I’m looking forward to the next week or so and getting a crash course.”
The new chief deputy is married to Betsy Demmings, the executive assistant to DePauw President Mark McCoy.
Although Stockton has not technically been elected to a second term as Putnam County Sheriff, he is unopposed in the November election in his bid for another term.