 Having been employed as a police magistrate from 1872 to 1886, Parry-Okeden acted for the next three years as Immigration Agent at Brisbane, receiving the appointment of Under-Colonial Secretary in July 1889.In 1887 he acted with Kinnaird Rose on an inquiry into gaol management in Queensland.He served as Queensland Police Commissioner from 1895 to 1 April 1905, when he retired from the public service.