Audio File
Transcript
My name is Darnell Caldwell. I’m 16 years old.
My name is Angelo Berger. I am 17 years old.
My name is Darwin Spencer. I’m 15 years old.
We interviewed Officer Collins, Officer Collins on July 31st, 2015.
I grew up in the Point Breeze area. A lot of challenges, a lot of challenges growing up, trying to find your way. In life, choosing different friends that want to hang with or you didn’t want to hang with. Coming up, you got guys out in the street, you know, doing drugs and different things. You just had to make a conscious choice. What it was you wanted in life, what direction you wanted to go in.
Where I grew up, like I said, the Point Breeze area, the block that I lived on there was predominantly white, about four black families. So at a very young age, I guess I could say I learned diversity from that. Growing up in that atmosphere, that in itself set the tone for my life as far as being able to relate And understand, you know, different people from different ethnic backgrounds and so on and so forth. So I would say that would- that was definitely a plus.
My mother, my grandmother basically raised us, and it wasn’t until I was 35 years old when I actually met my father and found out by way of him. You know, I have two other sisters and another brother.I come from a family of very strong, independent black women. I don’t believe having a father would have made me any better, but between the two, my mother, my grandmother, they instilled a lot of things in me that to this day I give them credit for that. That’s probably why I am what I am today. My uncles, they were busy, but they were like my mentors. Both of them were very educated. So I would say they were my mentors as far as keeping me on the right track, keeping my head straight. Keeping me focused. I think I’m very successful. I’ve raised three beautiful children, one son and two daughters who all are doing well. They always seen me striving to do better and to make a better life for myself and for them.
I feel like I’m connected with the community. I know most of these guys out here in the street. I know most of the families. A lot of times when there’s issues or problems, they will actually come and ask for me. The way I look at it, you could be in any profession, doing anything. I look at it, there’s good and bad in everything. You have some people sometimes that for whatever reason they end up doing things that aren’t right. Some of em shouldn’t probably be cops. I think there should be definitely more diversity classes taught in these academies before these guys are actually put out in the street.
Don’t eliminate yourself before you even get started. You know, just say to yourself each and every day “I am somebody” and get out there and you know, give whatever it is your best shot. You might end up being between jobs and there might be things that happen or occur in your life that might want you to take a different direction or path, but just stay focused. You know, be determined. Be proud of yourself. Be proud of who you are and what you accomplish.
I’m doing what I really like to do. You know, when I’m done with this. I’m, you know, just going to sit back and probably pick up another hobby or something to do, but I’m- I’m living my dream. I’m only a cop when you force me to do my job. Other than that, I’m a child of God first, I’m a grown man second, this is what it’s about. You know, it’s about taking care of each other.
I’ve lost a few guys I used to talk to in the community that I used to, I guess you would call it mentor, try to get them turned around. There’s a lot of those guys that that has happened to survive and live or went to jail for a little while. Or just gave it up and actually thanked me, but I have lost. I’ve lost a few. I’ve lost a few.
Nothing beats a failure but a try. My grandmother used to always say that when I would get discouraged because I couldn’t do something and she’d always tell me “Well, have you put forth an effort yet?”
I’m kind of an avid artist and I like cooking. In fact, I used to lease a kitchen some years back. It’s like a hobby. I didn’t want to go to school for it, but it’s just something I liked to do.
The best day of my life is when I graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy. It was a challenge for me as a man. It was a challenge for me as a young black man. I believe you control your destiny. Not no one man, race, you. You control your destiny.