Saturday, May 18, 2024
Over the course of a lifetime, workers often change professions several times. That is not the case with Officer Carol Brown, as this year she celebrated her 40th year in the field of law enforcement.
Both of Brown’s parents were in law enforcement. “My mother actually started out at the Nolanville Police Department as a dispatcher. She ended up at Bell County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Constable with the Constables office in Killeen. She was the first female deputy in Bell County,” Brown said.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Brown said, “I started in law enforcement straight out of high school as a dispatcher for Harker Heights Police Department.” She would later move to Copperas Cove as a dispatcher. She then moved to the position of Jailer before being sent to the Police Academy by Copperas Cove.
“I left Cove after 14 years to take a position as a police officer for Waco Independent School District. After five years, I decided I needed to get closer to home to help with my two small children, so I went to the Coryell County Sheriff’s Office where I worked as a deputy for nearly 15 years before retiring and moving to the Gatesville Police Department as a School Resource Officer,” Brown said.
“I began working with GISD as an SRO in September of 2020. The school transitioned over to their own police department last year in 2020, and I changed over in October of 2022,” she said. “I feel that having an officer at the Primary or Elementary setting is fruitful to both the officer and the students. You, as an officer, have a chance to show the children that police officers are still the good guys and can be trusted,” she said.
This year marks Brown’s second year as a school police officer with the district working at the Gatesville Primary School.
GISD Superintendent Dr. Barrett Pollard said about her: “Carol Brown has been the perfect school police officer for the primary campus. She has a great rapport with our youngest students. The students really look up to Officer Brown, and the staff appreciates her presence. I hope she stays with us for years to come.”
The principal at Gatesville Primary, Van Collins, stated that “Officer Brown has been a huge asset to our community and school district during her career. Her professionalism at the Gatesville Primary campus helps keep our students safe each and every day. We are lucky to have her expertise and knowledge to turn to whenever necessary.”
In the course of her 40-year career in law enforcement, Brown said that she had a few pointers for those interested in that line of work. “The best advice that I can give to someone that’s interested in law enforcement is to remember the way this job is. As with all other first responder positions, it’s nights, weekends, and holidays. This job is not filled with constant awards and medals. You do the job knowing you are doing the best.”
Describing her job as an officer at Gatesville Primary, Brown said, “Most days here are filled with high fives and endless hugs ... and the hugs are healing on BOTH sides.”
