Huntsville police officer on becoming 1st female member of SWAT team: 'It's really overwhelming'

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (KTRK) -- The Huntsville Police Department announced for the first time in history a female has earned a spot on their SWAT team.

This particular officer was sworn in a little over a year ago after leaving her county job to enter the academy.

Brooke Williams said she did not set out to join the SWAT team. Instead, she started training with them, and people took notice.

When she tried out, it never really dawned to her that if she made it, she'd be the first woman to do so.

"It's really overwhelming," Brooke Williams, an officer with the Huntsville Police Department, said.

Williams isn't a fan of the spotlight. She's more of a put your head down and work gal.

Last year, she left her job as a probation officer to enter the police academy.

"I thought I did what I could do there, and I really wanted a more active role in criminal justice and the community," Williams said.

Williams was sworn in Sept. 2022.

Williams says shortly after completing her field officer training program she took an interest in SWAT.

"I really liked it, and I kind of got the bug in my ear like you should try out and I did," Williams said.

In fact, tryouts are rigorous. Williams said there's running involved, weightlifting, dummy dragging, and more.

But, it was all-worth enduring, according to Williams.

"It's cool to just kind of work through things, and who wouldn't want to put that uniform on and show up in that truck," Williams said.

The whole making history thing was an added bonus, according to Williams.

But she said on any given day, she feels no different than her male team members.

"I didn't think I was the first. That wasn't even a blip on my radar, and I was just trying to get through it a step at a time, a test at a time, so it's pretty cool," Williams said.

The Huntsville PD SWAT team is only part-time and has 12 members, but they work alongside the county and Sam Houston State University Police.