From the bustling streets of New York City to the scenic Worth Avenue vias, Palm Beach Police Officer Dineen Lopez pairs her passion for public safety with her musical talent.
Since relocating from New York City and joining the Palm Beach Police Department in November 2023, Dineen has seamlessly assumed the roles of dedicated police officer and accomplished singer.
Along with patrolling her beat, Dineen has entertained audiences at Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation events. She performed at Palm Beach Public Safety Day, the Annual Golf Classic, and the Palm Beach Police & Fire Rescue Ball, where she shared the spotlight with Sgt. Gary Walley singing patriotic duets.
Dineen, who has been singing since childhood, began belting out tunes from The Little Rascals for her mother. “I would hold her face in my hands and give her the whole show,” recalled Dineen, a self-taught musician who bought her first guitar when she was 12 years old.
Over the years, Dineen fine-tuned her talent, which found another stage when she enrolled in the Police Academy and joined NYPD’s Ceremonial Unit, a group of performing officers who fulfill a range of formal and symbolic duties that include flag details, parades, public events, funerals and promotion ceremonies.
A dedication to craft and service can be traced to Dineen’s formative years spent on New York City’s Lower East Side. She was born to a father from Puerto Rico, and a mother of Puerto Rican, Polish, German and American heritage.
“My parents were very young when they had me. I was primarily raised by my maternal grandmother. I spent weekends with my father, who was a police officer and would always say, ‘keep your eyes open. Pay attention. Be careful and be helpful,’” said Dineen, calling to mind her “protective” father, and “empathetic and caring” mother.
Dineen came of age in the 1990s, a period of significant technological and cultural change. Frequent family gatherings and lively parties set to Spanish music, disco, pop, and hits by Madonna provided an eclectic soundtrack that, along with dynamic city energy shaped her, she said.
A self-described “super shy loner,” Dineen felt most comfortable in her room listening to music by artists like Adele, Amy Winehouse and Justin Timberlake. She wrote and produced her own songs, which she rarely shared but would occasionally post online and they received positive feedback. Dineen’s “shell cracked open” after advancing through three rounds of auditions for X Factor, the reality music competition show created by Simon Cowell, but decided to pass on the opportunity and focus on school instead.
Dineen’s academic accomplishments also merit mention. Enrolled in an accelerated program at Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) in New York, Dineen majored in liberal arts and graduated at age 18 in 2010 with an Associate of Arts degree. With savings she banked, minimal financial responsibilities, and being “two years ahead of the game,” she took a year off to devote to singing.
Duty called and in 2013, Dineen joined the New York Police Department, where she dedicated a decade of service while also performing with the Ceremonial Unit. Following, she spent three years as a protection specialist for the Mayor’s office, serving under Mayors De Blasio and Adams.
A member of the LGBTQ community, Dineen said she knew she was gay as early as kindergarten, and her family was very accepting. Her identities as both a minority and a gay person provide her with a distinct perspective that she finds invaluable in her police work as cited in a recent case. “I was able to help a young boy escape an abusive situation,” she said.
Three years ago, Dineen met her fiancée, Veley, and they dated long-distance until she relocated to Florida after securing a position at the Palm Beach Police Department. The couple now reside in Jensen Beach, where they are raising their son, Kaiden, who is 10 and “an old soul and a very good singer who loves Frank Sinatra,” Dineen said.
Dineen values the tranquility of Jensen Beach and the camaraderie within the Palm Beach Police Department, which she considers a second family. It stands in stark contrast to the impersonal nature of working at a large agency, she said. “I love it, and really appreciate the flexibility PBPD offers, which allows me to balance work with family life. Everyone here is so inclusive and supportive. We all work well together. The Foundation’s support is amazing. I never had that before,” said Dineen.
Palm Beach Police Chief Nicholas Caristo, Dineen’s boss, cited her as an example of the professional, high-quality new hires the Town and Police Department has attracted.
“Officer Lopez is an experienced officer from NYPD who has brought her knowledge, positive attitude, people skills, and top-tier singing voice to help make a difference in the community. As soon as she arrived, Dineen hit the ground running volunteering her vocal talents at various events, all while helping to keep the town safe. We are proud to have her on our team,” Chief Caristo said.
Looking ahead, “I want to lay down roots here and rise up through the ranks. I always wanted boss up,” reflected this guardian of public safety who shines as an example of the diverse and talented individuals who comprise the Palm Beach Police Department.