(bright music) - I remember one day in a bar, I saw a sign, they were hiring Housing Authority police, and this was the first time in history that they were hiring women.

- Brenda was one of the first female police officers to come on.

- And she said it was hard for her, but she stuck with it.

- She is living proof that it's possible to turn your life around and make a difference in this world.

(bright music) (upbeat music) - Summers were filled with parades every month.

Sundays were spectacular.

We enjoyed a dinner that was cooked from scratch.

Nights, we slept on the fire escapes if it was too hot.

- We all lived in the same apartment.

Me and Brenda, we were really close.

We were like sisters.

- [Brenda] It was just an incredible way to grow up.

- [Joyce] The Hill was like a family.

All of the neighbors took care of each other, all of us did.

- The bright spots are many, many, but there are some dark spots.

(bright music) - As a child, Brenda was always gone.

You never knew where she was.

In fact, she didn't want you to know.

- My dad, he start disappearing.

My mother would go into survival.

There were people she would send me to to get money to buy food.

I guess I was no more than about 10 or 11.

He was a huge man, over six foot.

He was very dark complected, and he had one leg.

I'd say, mama need money for some bologna.

He'd say, well, you have to go get it outta my pants.

He would pull me into him and I would struggle with him, and I would disappear.

I would go to another place in my head.

When it was over, he'd give me the money and I'd leave.

I never told my mother and I never told her because I knew that it was a survival, and I had to bring the money home.

During my teenage years, I was focused on sports.

There were a lot of softball teams in the areas and one of them were sponsored by the Hurricane Bar.

Once I would leave the ball field, we would drink.

As I transitioned out of being a teen, I started to drink more, and at that time I never paid it any attention, it was just part of the fun.

Housing Authority at that time was experimenting with police officers, and this was the first time in history that they were hiring women.

So I took the test.

I remember that day.

I'm standing in line with a bunch of guys and we passed this liquor around.

We took the test, we passed the test, and we all got hired.

(upbeat music) - When all of us found out that Brenda was gonna be a housing police, we were ecstatic.

We were so proud of her, the whole community.

- I spent five years with the Housing Authority.

In '79, I joined the Pittsburgh Police.

In the '70s, the police department was a breeding ground for racism.

I'm standing there waiting for them to call my name.

They called everybody and then they left.

So I raised my hand and said I didn't get an assignment, and the sergeant turned and pointed to a door, go get a broom.

- She was telling us things, you know, that they would do, trying to get her to give up, but she's not the type to give up.

(mellow music) - From all appearances, I looked like I was okay.

However, I was struggling so bad with this disease.

My drinking sent me to a police station where I hit my bottom.

I got my assignment and I went into a blackout because I had brought a bottle of liquor.

I had just got married and lost a husband.

I had a young baby.

That blackout was a saving grace for me.

It led me into finding people to help guide me through sobriety.

- I went to meetings for like two or three years, straight up with her.

She was serious about being in recovery.

- During recovery, they had a new program called Field Training Officers, and someone asked for me to do that, and I remember feeling so wanted, and that, I think, was the beginning of me knowing that I was on the right track.

(soft music) I was assigned to the Witness Protection Program, and we did that in conjunction with the Dignitary Protection.

I have been able to guard three presidents, and I was on the inner circle of the Secret Service.

Look here.

Oh my goodness.

- I missed you.

- I missed you too.

Marcia Malloy was my partner, and Marcia and I were just two characters.

(upbeat music) We were always doing something that would get us in trouble.

- I'll do it in a safe manner next time.

- The biggest reward I got was protecting Rosa Parks.

- When we met Rosa Parks, we were determined to get a picture with her.

- I always kept a throwaway camera in my pocket.

I jump in the car and Marcia's clicking away with this throwaway camera with the flash on it.

And Marsh jumps in and I take her picture.

So her assistant comes out and we ask, is there any special instructions?

- And she said, don't let anybody take pictures of her, especially with a flash.

- Because her eyesight is getting bad, and I had this camera now, and it's behind me, and I'm saying, absolutely, no one's gonna get past us to take pictures of her.

(upbeat music) - It wasn't just the good times, there were a lot of sad times too.

My 29-year-old son was in a car accident, a tragic car accident, it took his life.

Brenda was there for me.

Without her, I don't think I could have done it.

- Towards the end of my career, I wanted to go back to my community, as a beat officer, and I wanted to make an impact.

I wanted to clean it up.

There was activity in that area with drug dealing, seniors felt threatened, and I realized that, and I went to work in cleaning it up.

As a black female living in this community, I know the community, and what gave me a different edge is I'm a recovering addict.

(soft music) When I left and retired, people were able to move freely in that corridor, and I'm very proud of that.

(soft music) There's an old song that says, may the work I've done speak for me.

If I left this earth today or tomorrow, I want that to speak for me.

(upbeat music) Come on, come on.

(upbeat music) (people chattering) (laughs) (upbeat music)