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Mom of Pine Bluff officer killed in line of duty pleads for change

The family, friends, and fellow officers of Pine Bluff Police Detective Kevin Collins paid their respects and honored his life Wednesday.

PINE BLUFF, Ark. — The family, friends of Pine Bluff Police Detective Kevin Collins paid their respects and honored his life Wednesday.

Collins was killed Monday afternoon after responding to a call to the Econo Lodge in Pine Bluff.

"He died doing what he loved to do,” said Dornetta Collins Hobbs, Detective Collins’ mother.

Hobbs said her son's love for policing began as a little boy, who then worked his way into dispatch and soon later became an officer at PBPD in 2015, the town he grew up in and loved so much.

"When he raised his right hand and took the oath, this young man took off running,” said Kelvin Sergeant, the Pine Bluff police chief.

Detective Collins accomplished a lot in 5 years, including being named Pine Bluff's Officer of the Year in 2018.

A sea of law enforcement, family, and community members gathered for a prayer vigil Wednesday at the location Collins was shot and killed.   

The group along with a community faith-based alliance prayed over the city and gave a cross with Collins’ badge number to the family.

Hobbs pled to the community to just make a change.

"Pull together. Pull together. Try to do something about the crime in this city,” said Hobbs.

Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington also was close to Collins.

She hopes younger kids follow in his footsteps to fight for the change Collins worked hard towards.

"We don't feel like his life will be in vain,” said Washington. “I think this is going to bring about real positive change in the city of Pine Bluff, and that's what Kevin would want."

A visitation for Collins is scheduled for Friday at 5:30 p.m. at New Life Church in Pine Bluff.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.

It is open to the public but you will be expected to social distance and wear a mask.

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