Paris native Kimmie Snowton has been named community outreach coordinator for the Paris Police Department, a position created in the 2022-23 budget and filled two weeks ago by Police Chief Richard Salter. He reported for duty at the department on February 20, 2023.
“The position serves as a liaison between the police department and the community, and provides an opportunity for interaction in a constructive manner,” Mr. Snowton has the knowledge, experience, interpersonal skills and compassion to build this program into a model for all Police Departments. Mr. Snowton’s reputation throughout Paris is beyond reproach. His strong moral character and outstanding communication skills will serve him and the department well in promoting a mutual understanding with the public about police work in an effort to inspire trust, civility and mutual respect.” Chief Richard Salter.
“I plan to get to know the police side of things as quickly as possible,” Snowton said in brief remarks following his introduction to the City Council. “And then I plan to get out in the community, look at the demographics, talk to community leaders and hopefully get together groups of students and parents to help bridge that gap between the police and the community.”
A retired educator, Snowton spent 23 years in classrooms from kindergarten to twelfth grade, teaching both in Dallas and in Paris, most recently at Paris High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M-Commerce and a master’s degree in Education Administration from Texas Woman’s University in Denton.
Snowton began his education career in 1999 as a physical education assistant at T. G. Givens Elementary while attending Paris Junior College before attending Texas A&M University-Commerce. He later received a teaching certificate while with the Dallas ISD before returning to Paris ISD in 2007 where he taught sixth and seventh grade and coached athletics for nine years. He taught in Dallas for several years prior to returning to Paris ISD where he taught business at Paris High School until his retirement in January 2022.