Springfield honors first police domestic violence coordinator to kick off awareness month
SPRINGFIELD — As the city’s and probably the state’s first domestic violence coordinator for a police department, Brenda Lopez asked, “How far have we really come?”
But retired Police Chief Paula Meara, who fought for the position and hired Lopez two months after she was named head of the department, reminded people about the days when laws protecting victims were non-existent and services were rare.
“We have come a long way,” she said. “Victims began to have rights.”
As one of the few female police officers in the 1970s, Meara was often assigned to help victims of domestic violence. Back then, there were so few shelter beds police would take up a collection to rent a hotel room and buy diapers and formula to protect women in danger, she said.
Officers couldn’t even arrest suspected abusers. Often their only solution was to tell them to walk around the block and cool off, Meara said.
But over the decades, crimes have been redefined. Advocates found funding and raised money to build a YMCA campus to shelter victims and their children in emergencies and provide transitional housing so they had time to become financially independent and did not have to return to their abusers.
Thursday, the City Council’s Women’s Commission joined with lawmakers, District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni, and domestic violence coordinators from the Hampden Sheriff’s Department and even the statewide League of Women voters to commemorate the start of Domestic Violence Awareness month and honor Lopez for her many years of work in the city.
Elizabeth Dineen, executive director of the YWCA, numerated the many ways Lopez and others have made a difference.
Yes domestic violence continues. A Springfield man who killed his wife in the 1980s pleaded guilty last week to killing his second wife , who he married after being released from prison. Shelters and transitional housing continue to be full mainly of women and their children fleeing violence, she said.
But a lot has improved, Dineen said.
“I can tell you every time a police officer comes to the Y they are professional. They are so kind and not judgmental,” she said.
Dineen talked about Gullini’s office, which has a whole team of victim witness advocates to help and an ever-expanding program now educates high school and soon college students about healthy relationships.
When she needs funding, Dineen said she has three senators on speed dial who will petition for an earmark or help her find a grant. They are there for whatever she needs.
Lopez, who was honored with a standing ovation by the crowd of about 50 people, was an advocate at the YWCA for 14 years before Meara, with the funding approved by then-Mayor Michael Albano, created the position in 1996. She said she started April 1 and retired on June 11, 2011, just hours before a tornado tore through the city.
“I implore all of you … don’t just turn your head like it’s OK. None of us should have to live in fear in our home,” Lopez said. “Children shouldn’t have to sneak guns and knives out of their homes because they are afraid of what will happen when they are not there.”
She talked about how violence impacts whole families, especially the children.
She lauded programs teaching young people violence, control and emotional abuse are not part of a healthy relationship and urged parents to talk to their daughters and sons about respecting each other.
“Let us continue because we have come a long way, but we have a long way to go,” Lopez said.
Brenda Lopez, the Springfield Police Department's first domestic violence coordinator (left) shares a laugh with City Councilor Kateri Walsh, chairwoman of the Springfield Women's Commission, at a domestic violence awareness forum on Oct. 1, 2025. (Jeanette DeForge/ Republican staff)republican
The position was actually created by many advocates who fought together under the long-running Springfield Women’s Commission, Albano said.
The commission, which sponsored the event, continues to discuss ways to fight domestic violence today and is looking at expanding its membership to add high school or college students to get more input on changing dating habits and issues such as cyber stalking, said Ayanna Crawford, a member of the commission.
City Councilor Kateri Walsh, who serves as chairwoman of the group, said the commission was axed when the state sent the Finance Control Board to oversee the struggling city but advocates fought against its demise.
At the time, she was City Council president and Walsh said she felt it was so vital she turned it into an ad hoc committee of the City Council. It now has about 11 active members from a wide range of organizations.
“They told me I wouldn’t be reelected,” Albano joked, explaining the Woman’s Commission strong-armed him into supporting the creation of the domestic violence coordinator.
But Albano said after the position was created, the late Thomas Menino, who was then mayor of Boston, called him to ask him about Lopez and the work she was doing.
“I said, ‘You should do the same thing,’” Albano said. “What a difference it has made.”
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