NEW ROCHELLE, NY (September 26, 2025) — Detective Melissa Diniz of the New Rochelle Police Department was celebrated as the PBA Hero of the Match during a New York City FC (NYCFC) game at Citi Field, an event held 22 hours ago. The honor spotlighted Diniz’s dedication to mentoring youth and serving the community, with her image and title displayed on the stadium scoreboard.
The NYCFC official account posted on social media, “The PBA is proud to see Detective Melissa Diniz honored as the Hero of the Match at the NYCFC game. Her commitment to mentoring youth and serving our community makes her an outstanding representative of our Association. Congratulations!” L
Diniz’s recognition stems from her work with the Police and Community Together (P.A.C.T.) unit, where she serves as a Youth Detective. She investigates juvenile crimes, monitors youth gathering spots, and has been the Youth Detective Social Media Coordinator since March 2019, focusing on crime prevention through engagement with young people and families.
She said, “There’s ones where it’s just one and done and there’s sort of like a satisfaction where, you know, that the kid needs a little bit more help. And it can be challenging, but it means a lot to me to be able to help the ones who are a little bit more of a challenge.”
Her community efforts extend to events like the annual youth fishing trip, where she joined Youth Detective Terrence Fudge and Police Specialist Jose Hued in 2022 to build positive relationships between youth and law enforcement. The P.A.C.T. unit, comprising two sergeants, three youth detectives, a social media coordinator, seven beat officers, and a Bike Unit, also acts as a liaison with the Westchester Family Court, Westchester County Department of Social Services, Child Protective Services, and the New Rochelle Board of Education.
Additionally, Diniz created and holds the LGBTQ+ Liaison position since 2019, conducting workshops for officers on orientation and appropriate language.
She explained, “We talk about orientation and the right words to use. And basically, I teach what matters police wise and what doesn’t matter.”
The PBA Hero of the Match program, which recognizes individuals for outstanding community contributions, featured Diniz during the September 25, 2025, match at Citi Field. The initiative also recently honored Reyes Andon, a K-5 physical education teacher from PS 376K in Bushwick, during the September 20, 2025, game against Charlotte FC. Andon, who uses U.S. Soccer Foundation and City in the Community programs to help kids thrive, received the Big Apple Award. The program, often held at Yankee Stadium, highlights everyday heroes in partnership with local police benevolent associations.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.