Chief of Police

Chief Robert Parker began his career in law enforcement in July 1994, with the City of Roanoke, Texas. In October 1996 he began working for the City of Watauga - Department of Public Safety. Chief Parker served as a Public Safety Officer working as a Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician and Police Officer in the Patrol Division before being assigned to the North East Street Crimes Unit dealing with gangs and organized crime from 1999 through 2000. Chief Parker earned his Certification as a Crisis Negotiator in 2000 and achieved his advanced Certification in 2005.

After the special assignment with the North East Street Crimes Unit, Chief Parker returned to patrol for a short time and was assigned as a Field Training Officer. Chief Parker worked as a Detective for four years and was promoted to Sergeant in February 2005. He served as a Patrol Sergeant until his promotion to Patrol Lieutenant in 2008. In June 2012, he was promoted to Assistant Police Chief and was assigned to manage the Administrative and Operational Divisions of the Department.

As a Master Peace Officer, and Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Instructor, Chief Parker is a proud graduate of the Bill Blackwood Leadership Command College at Sam Houston State University and of the 249th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. After over twenty years of service in various positions within the Watauga Police Department, he was appointed and confirmed as the Chief of Police on July 24, 2017.

Chief Parker is committed to serving the Citizens of Watauga with honor and integrity. He pledges to empower and invest in the men and women of the Watauga Police Department to assist them in achieving their personal and professional goals and successfully fulfilling the Mission of the Department. Above all, Chief Parker will strive to improve the safety and security of the City through developing innovative solutions to increase and enhance positive interactions between the local community and the Watauga Police Department.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Watauga Police Department is to provide the highest quality police services while safeguarding individual liberties and building positive community relationships.

Fire Chief

Chief Shawn Fannan, a Watauga native, began his career at an early age of 16 as a volunteer firefighter with the City of Watauga-Department of Public Safety before being hired in 1989 as Public Safety Officer, working as a Police Officer and Firefighter. Chief Fannan went to work for the City of Southlake Fire Department where he worked as a Fire Lieutenant for 20 years. Chief Shawn Fannan holds a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership. His Bachelor of Science Degree is in Occupational Health & Safety in Fire Science. Chief Fannan holds several certifications such as Master Firefighter, Master Peace Officer, Master Fire Instructor III, Master Arson Investigator, Hazardous Material Technician, Master Fire Inspector/Plans Examiner, Incident Safety Officer, Driver Operator and Licensed Paramedic. Chief Fannan is an adjunct instructor at Texas A&M University (TEEX) and at Tarrant County College. Chief Fannan has over 28 years of experience in the public safety field. He has been responsible for performing and supervising shift duty personnel in fire suppression, rescue, fire prevention and emergency medical services, along with the overall management and operations of the department. Chief Fannan has been married for 27 years to his wife, Ronda, and they have two grown children. 

Chief Fannan was appointed and confirmed as Fire Chief on March 27, 2017.  He believes in the Core Values of the Watauga Fire Department, which are:

To Residents: We owe the residents of Watauga the highest quality of service possible, characterized by responsiveness, integrity and professionalism. We will continually strive for quality improvement. 

To Fire Department: We owe the Watauga Fire Department our full commitment and dedication. We will always look beyond the traditional scope of our individual positions to promote teamwork and organizational effectiveness. 

To Each Other: We owe each other a working environment characterized by trust and respect for the individual, fostering open and honest communication at all levels. 

To Ourselves: We owe ourselves personal and professional growth. We will seek new knowledge and greater challenges, and strive to remain at the leading edge of our profession.