Reflect on Collins, friend to Pine Bluff

Oct. 5, 2020 started off as a good day. For a city that logs each groundbreaking for a new building as significant, Pine Bluff had three scheduled for that morning. There was one for a new county health unit, one for a county veterans service office and another for a new coroner’s office. The new buildings would replace others that were old and worn out and likely should have been replaced years ago. Oh, happy day.

Then everything changed.

Three Pine Bluff Police Department officers, in the middle of an investigation, rolled up to a motel on Blake Street. A shootout erupted. Two officers were hit. One of them, Kevin Collins, was killed. Time stopped.

In the days following the incident, a full measure of who Collins was became apparent. Mayor Shirley Washington, Police Chief Kelvin Sergeant, other police officers, his preacher, his friends, his relatives, all spoke in awe-struck terms of the fallen officer, friend, colleague, loved one.

State and national politicians got in line to add their condolences. They might not have known Collins personally, but a police officer killed in the line of duty quickly becomes a national tragedy, and the gravity of the occasion takes precedence over anything else going on in the world.

In the many outpourings about Collins, the word friend rises to the top. A true friend is always there with you, will do anything for you, loves you no matter what. That was Collins. He was a friend to the community, devoted to those he served, devoted to those he worked with. Everyday for Collins was another opportunity to make Pine Bluff a better place, and he embraced that opportunity with fervor.

Many tears were shed when he died and during the past year, and more will be shed today. We can’t help but think that he would ask that we not dwell on his passing but to put our emphasis on his short life well-lived. He was only 35, and had been with the department only five years. But he had wanted to be a police officer for year, and when he got the opportunity, he knew he was where he should be. Soon after, he was named officer of the year for his heroics. That was Collins, serving others without regard to himself.

We know today is a difficult day to mark for Pine Bluff. But take a moment at 12:05 p.m., the time when this happened a year ago, and think about this young man who gave everything to his community.

And then commit to doing something good for your community. We cannot all be the hero that Kevin Collins was, but we can all create something bigger than ourselves for our city. He would like that.