Richmond S. Parsons knows he has big shoes to fill when he takes over as chief adult probation officer in Carbon County, but he is up for the challenge.

Earlier this month, the county commissioners voted to approve the court's appointment of Parsons of Douglassville to the chief adult probation officer trainee position, effective April 18. The trainee position salary is $63,663.60 annually.Last Monday, Parsons was sworn in before President Judge Roger Nanovic and began training with Ron Kokinda, who has served as the chief adult probation officer for the county for the past 26 years. Kokinda, one of the longest tenured chief adult probation officers in the state, will retire from the county on June 3."I thought Carbon County would provide me with a unique opportunity and challenge," Parsons said of his new position. "After having the opportunity to meet President Judge Nanovic and court administrator Roberta Brewster, I was impressed with their knowledge and support of the department."Brewster said earlier this month that Parsons has "impeccable credentials" and comes with an extensive background in the probation field.Parsons has over 26 years experience in adult probation, serving in the Montgomery County Adult Probation and Parole Department until May 2015.He started in the field of probation in 1989, serving as an adult probation officer. He worked his way up through the ranks, becoming an assistant supervisor and eventually supervisor of the out-of-county/out-of-state unit, supervisor of general supervision and supervisor of the sex offender unit.From 2007 until the time he left the department, Parsons served as the deputy chief of offender services.He currently co-owns RAN Customized Training and Consulting LLC in Douglassville, where he provides training and consulting in a variety of areas including sex offender management, probation and parole, staff safety and leadership. He also currently works with Specialized Counseling Associates LLC of Bridgeport, where he serves as a sex offender group clinician and with batterer intervention; and has published several articles and trained numerous agencies and personnel nationally.Parsons holds a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies in criminal justice from American University and a master's degree in administration with an emphasis on training and development from West Chester University.In addition to his career, Parsons has served on a number of task forces and committees, including the Governor's Advisory Committee on Probation since 2000 and as chairman of the committee since 2008 to the present; the Montgomery County Sex Offender Task Force, serving as chairman of the group from 2004 to 2015; and the Mid-Atlantic Region Chapter of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, where he currently serves as president.He has also been recognized for his achievements, earning the Montgomery County Adult Probation Excellence Award and the Montgomery County Office of the District Attorney Unit Commendation in 2004; the Chester County District Attorney's Office Commendation in 2013 and the Matty Muir Award, Victim Services Center of Montgomery County in 2014.Moving forward, Parsons said his experience will help him as he takes on his new role as chief adult probation officer."Over the last few years, the adult probation department has seen a significant increase in offenders," he said. "The increased workload coupled with lack of resources has been a challenge. I look forward to working with the courts, the current chief, the staff and other key agencies and individuals in developing a strategic plan that can enable the department to implement best practices in order the accomplish its mission."My experience and the research has determined that probation and parole can be an integral part of the criminal justice system. It facilitates pro-social behavioral change while increasing community safety. I am honored to be provided with the opportunity to serve the courts," Parsons added. "I am excited to join the Carbon County team as we proudly serve the community."