Retired Chapel Hill Police Detective J.D. Parks on Tuesday was inducted into the N.C. Law Enforcement Torch Run Hall of Fame.

Parks was honored for his 14-year involvement with the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run, for which he sold t-shirts and hats, organized raffles and hosted other events. In addition, Parks was instrumental in organizing a golf tournament, which is now the largest Torch Run tournament in the state, raising more than $60,000 annually. During Parks’s 14 years, the Chapel Hill Police Department raised more than $825,000 for the athletes of the Special Olympics.
Parks now works for the UNC Department of Public Safety, where he holds the rank of Investigative Captain.