SOUTH HADLEY — Felix Blaney-Perez is the first line of support for any officer in the South Hadley Police Department.
The police sergeant mentors all of his colleagues — whether new recruits or law enforcement veterans. He supports them through personal sacrifices, picking up both patrol and supervisor overtime shifts to give other officers a rest. When he was first promoted to detective, Blaney-Perez willingly went back to overnight patrol so his co-worker could spend nights with her newborn baby.
“I don’t do things for the limelight or the recognition,” Blaney-Perez said. “I’ve done a lot of great things here, and I just look at it as I’m doing my job.”
Though he has never sought praise, his 31 years of dedication to the department have not gone unnoticed. Rep. Homar Gómez, D-Easthampton, nominated Blaney-Perez for the 2026 Latino Excellence on the Hill Awards, and he was among more than 85 Latino and Hispanic community leaders honored at the annual ceremony, hosted by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus in late September.
“It’s an honor. I’m humbled by it,” Blaney-Perez said. “I’m representing and honoring our families, whether it’s the [South Hadley police] family, my personal family, the community’s family, I’m representing everyone.”
Gómez, a member of the caucus, said highlighting diverse representation in leadership positions inspires people across ethnic backgrounds to build community. The legislator knew he wanted to highlight a South Hadley resident for this year’s award, and Blaney-Perez’s reputation within the community made him the obvious candidate.
“Felix was unique because the people who live in the area don’t look like him,” Gómez said. “He’s bringing a different perspective in the community and police department in South Hadley.”
Blaney-Perez was born in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Mason Square in Springfield. He grew up with an abusive mother, amid drug use and a heavy police presence in his neighborhood. Those early experiences would later drive his work in youth intervention and drug prevention as an officer.
“I gravitated towards helping others out and being the best role model that I could be for young kids growing up,” Blaney-Perez said.
In the department, he served on the crisis intervention, Police Access and Community Engagement, Drug Recovery and Youth Escape The Streets teams. He has taught Drug Abuse Resistance Education at South Hadley Public Schools and worked on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Blaney-Perez spent 22 years on the overnight shift, which allowed him to be present for his five children during the day. He served in the detective bureau twice, most recently from September 2020 to November 2023, before being promoted to sergeant in December 2023.
South Hadley was last on his list of preferred departments, behind Holyoke, Springfield and Northampton. Before going into law enforcement, Blaney-Perez served in the U.S. Army and Air National Guard from 1986 to 1995. After taking the civil service exam, the officer was told to accept the first job offer he received. That ended up being South Hadley.
“South Hadley called, and I’ve been here since,” Blaney-Perez said.
When Police Chief Jennifer Gundersen started at South Hadley in 2019, Blaney-Perez’s institutional knowledge was indispensable. His overnight shift is the busiest in the department, yet he remains a source of optimism for his peers, Gundersen said. He is well respected both internally and out in the community, and represents the best South Hadley has to offer, she said.
“The fact that he was recognized at the State House is not something that happens often. It shows the strength of the department but also the South Hadley community,” Gundersen said. “It really is some Tiger pride.”
