Michael Joseph Brooks

Michael Joseph Brooks, 66, of Atlanta, GA, originally of Arlington, VA. Son of Clarence Brooks "Joe" (dec) and Margaret Mary Brooks of Arlington, VA. A graduate of Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School in Arlington, Brooks joined the DC Metropolitan Police Department in 1973. During his 26-year career with the MPD, Brooks was one of the founding members of the department’s Emergency Response Team (ERT e.g. SWAT unit). As a member of the Special Operations Division, he provided police protection for many of Washington, DC’s parades and movie productions, as well as the movements of top US executives and foreign officials. As a member of ERT, Brooks helped with initiation of a hostage negotiation team, trained by the FBI’s Hostage Negotiation unit in Quantico, VA. Brooks participated in numerous hostage/barricade situations during his time with ERT. Brooks was also among the first to be trained in anti-terrorism techniques after the March, 1977 takeover of the national headquarters of B’nai B’rith by the Hanafi Muslims. Anti-terrorism became one of Brooks’ specialties, culminating in six years serving as the only local law enforcement member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in DC. On the JTTF, Brooks traveled to Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Pakistan and Malta investigating international terrorism and bombings which killed Americans. After the crash of Air Florida into Washington’s 14th Street bridge in January of 1982, Brooks was involved in the multiple agency response, spending days retrieving victims from the Potomac River. An enthusiast of police training and advancing techniques, Brooks served as a rappel master, and brought equipment like air rescue cushions in fires, and cold water and ice rescue equipment. One of Brooks’ last innovations as a career police officer was the creation of MPD’s Hate Crimes unit. Now a detective, he investigated activities of hate groups and potential hate crimes. In addition to his police career, Brooks had a parallel career as a volunteer fireman, rising to Assistant Chief with the Burke VFD. He remained very active with both police and fire department organizations, a frequent speaker at training programs and local and international meetings. He also served as adjunct faculty at a number of academic institutions. Following his police career Brooks taught anti-terrorism at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, GA, then started a program at Delta Airlines to deal with abusive passengers. He then spent the next dozen years working in broadcast and cable media, primarily as a correspondent, analyst and occasional anchor for CNN and HLN. He became host of his eponymous radio show on WYAY NewsTalk 106.7, until the station changed formats, then appeared on a number of radio programs and podcasts.