Brooks makes positive changes in FC security
By Rusty Casey
[email protected]
Staff Writer
 Georgia Highlands College has entrusted the security of its campuses and its fast growing student population to Howard Brooks.
Brooks, who has been with the FC security department for the past four years, became head of security in October 2002.
He started as a security specialist in December 1999 and is now in charge of 22 other security personnel, the security for all four campuses and two patrol cars.
His training includes a 10-week State Peace Officer School and yearly training in such areas as verbal judo, health and wellness, and domestic violence.
 Since he has been in charge of security the department has seen many changes. Brooks has helped set up a computer system and a web page that allows the security personnel to track car tags, find students in classes in case of emergency and pass along important information.
The web page for the security department contains everything anybody would need to know about the department. There is a lost and found page that students can use if they have lost something, and there is a silent witness page, where somebody could report illegal activity without having to give his or her name. The web page is listed under �campus life� on the FC web page.
Brooks also started requiring that security personnel receive monthly training and that all of them be familiar with what to do in case of a change in the national threat level. If the national threat level does change, the security department is in charge of making sure regulations are met on the Rome, Haralson, Heritage Hall and Cartersville campuses. Local law enforcement officials handle security on the Acworth campus.
Brooks said that, �security is here to serve the students,� and, �to try to develop a good system to help the flow around the campuses.�
He has done this by equipping the department with a portable battery jump system, providing a kit for unlocking cars and upgrading all the first aid kits.
He also allows people who receive traffic tickets to pay only 50 percent of the fine if they pay it within two days.
Brooks notes that even if a person's car is not registered at the college, the department can still find out who owns the car. Once an unknown car has two or more tickets, the department runs the tag through the Floyd County Police Department to find the owner.
Brooks' next plans are to finish the information bulletin board outside the Security Office and to set up a security office at the new Bartow campus when it opens.
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