Paul Caldwell

Paul Caldwell was the first African-American sergeant, lieutenant, and captain of University Police at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a long time resident of the Northside Neighborhood, and was a police officer for the University for 27 years, beginning as a patrol officer and eventually became a Captain before he retired. In this interview, Caldwell talks about joiningthe police force, rising up in the ranks, and his experiences interacting with students on campus. Other topics include his retirement from the police force; working as a security guard for ATM machines; working as a security guard at Chapel Hill High School; currently working as a crossing guard for students in Northside on Church St; role as a trustee at First Baptist Church; community events and transition at First Baptist; son’s experience as police officer in Orange County and Mebane; positive perception of police in Northside neighborhood; breaking and enteringof a Northside neighbor by a white student and the questionable legal response; problems with student residents in Northside; demographic transition of Northside neighborhood from all black to mostly white students; determination not to move out of the neighborhood and keep his house in the family; need for property owners to educate student renters about community.