City and County officials give thoughts on the loss of Detective Kevin Collins

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By Ray King

City and county officials are grieving Tuesday after Pine Bluff Police Detective Kevin Collins was shot to death while conducting an investigation at the Econo Lodge on Blake Street Monday. A 19-year-old man, KeShone Quanterious Smith, who was wanted for a murder in Georgia was arrested and is being held without bond on probable cause of capital murder in the death of Collins.

On the Oldies 101.3 morning show Tuesday, Mayor Shirley Washington, Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr., and County Judge Gerald Robinson shared their thoughts about the incident.

The Mayor said Collins was her driver when she went out of town or the state and said the two talked on an almost daily basis

“Kevin was never fearful,” she said. “He was always confident in what he was doing. His mother told me that he wanted to be a police officer since he was three years old.”

Washington went on describe Collins as “special” and said he would be “badly missed.”

Woods and Robinson both said they knew Collins well, in part because Collins’ step-father worked for the Sheriff’s Department before retiring.  Woods went on to say that officer involved shootings are tragic but having one happen in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, what he called our own back yard was “senseless and tragic.

Robinson, who before he became County Judge was Jefferson County Sheriff said Collins formerly worked for MECA and always talked about being on the streets.

He also talked about the effect the death had and will continue to have on other officers.