One-on-one with Glenn St. Onge, Domestic Violence Resource Center

Sept. 13—A woman recently walked into the Domestic Violence Resource Center in downtown Albuquerque and burst into tears in the office of executive director Glenn St. Onge.

“She had been through domestic violence with her husband that morning. She wanted a divorce. … She wanted a court order. He was threatening to kill himself,” St. Onge said. “Because of my background, I said, ‘OK, let’s take a deep breath. … I thought, ‘You’re in the right place, but you’re on the wrong floor.’ So I immediately put her in touch with one of my attorneys. And that’s what we do here at the Family Advocacy Center.”

St. Onge, a former police officer who retired from the Albuquerque Police Department as a lieutenant after 21 years, in April took over as director of the DVRC, which is housed in the Family Advocacy Center at 625 Silver SW.

St. Onge said the Family Advocacy Center is a one-stop shop for crime victims, with domestic violence advocates, detectives, sexual assault nurse examiners, New Mexico Legal Aid and other resources.

“Let’s say a client needs counseling. … I can do a warm handoff with a counseling service,” he said. “It’s such an important facility that the victim doesn’t have to drive all the way across town.”

What made you want to become a police officer?

“My whole family had a life of service. My uncles were Green Berets. My three sisters and I were in the Navy. My dad was in the Navy. My grandfather was in the Navy. I always believed in giving back and living a life of service. So I thought, ‘What better way than to be a police officer?’

So, coming out of the Navy, I saw this old, grungy flyer at the transition center—they were called TAPs then, Transition Assistance Program—I saw this old, grungy, worn-out flyer from the Albuquerque Police Department. It was a recruiting flyer. So I called the number, and here I am 30 years later.

How did you get into this position?

“I volunteered for the (DVRC) board to be a voice for law enforcement. So I was on the board for almost two years. And when the executive director left, there was a leadership vacuum. And I’m a big believer in leadership, and I saw that DVRC was really struggling. So I told the board chairman, ‘When you guys decide to hire someone, I’ll throw my name in the hat.’

What should the community know about this facility?

“We’re so busy and understaffed. I’m learning a lot about running a nonprofit. And most of our funding comes from grants. And they’re few and far between. … It comes back to the fact that you just have to be really savvy about funding and funding sources.”

What characteristics do your advocates have that allow them to do this job every day?

“They’re very strong-willed and empathetic. A lot of my staff are survivors themselves. I’ve seen the worst of the worst in law enforcement in my career. I’ve probably gotten thousands of domestic violence calls. But I might get one call a night or maybe two domestic violence calls a week. These people are seeing three, four, five clients a day. When you hear that trauma, you’re kind of exposing yourself to some of that trauma.”

What do you do to relax?

“Riding motorcycles. When I was interviewing, management asked me the same question. I thought, ‘Look, I’ve seen a lot of trauma in my career, and now I’m at a 30,000-foot vantage point. I’m not so much on the ground anymore.’

But spending time with family. Camping is something that’s important in my family.”

What irritates you the most?

“Complaining without resolution. Or maybe I should say stuck. … I’m very problem-solving oriented. If we have a difficult case, ‘OK, let’s solve this.’ If that doesn’t work, let’s think outside the box. ‘You’re in a situation; let’s find a solution.’ We have a lot of people here with different perspectives. Maybe talk to the detective, talk to the SANE nurse, talk to another advocate: ‘What can I do differently to help this victim?'”

If you work at APD, what did you do to learn how to run a nonprofit?

“My auditor is here every Tuesday. I sit down with them for an hour and say, ‘Explain this to me. Explain this to me.’ So I’m learning about the budget. I’m learning about our funding sources, what I can afford and what I can’t afford. The biggest challenge I’ve had so far is funding, and that’s recurring funding, because I’m a numbers guy.”

SUMMARY: Glenn St. Onge, 49, born in San Diego, California, married, three children, bachelor’s degree in education.

POSITIONS: Executive Director, Domestic Violence Resource Center, April-present; U.S. Navy, Petty Officer First Class (Surface Warfare); First Lieutenant, Albuquerque Police Department (retired).

OTHER: CPR/First Aid/AED instructor; New Mexico concealed carry instructor; firearms instructor for the National Rifle Association, a division of law enforcement.