Newark Police officials are reporting that Newark Police Sergeant A. Barbosa and Officer S. Johnson, of the Community Focus Team, rescued a 13-year old boy from the ledge of a third-floor fire escape where the youth was attempting to commit suicide on Monday.
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“I commend Sergeant Barbosa and Officer Johnson for taking the initiative to immediately devise a plan of action that saved this boy’s life,” Director Ambrose said.
“Preservation of a life is always our goal, but it’s clear that these officers exercised exceptional compassion and the care needed to ensure that this frightening scenario had a positive ending.”
Officials say just before 5 p.m., Barbosa and Johnson responded to a call of a juvenile at Youth Consultation Services, 284 Broadway, who was threatening to jump from the third floor fire escape.
The teen had locked himself in a common area and was out on the fire escape when police arrived according to police.
The officers observed the teen holding onto a chain-linked fence with nothing under him to prevent him from falling.
Sergeant Barbosa distracted the teen by engaging him in conversation, giving Officer Johnson the opportunity to quickly grab him and pull him back inside the building. The rescued teen was then transported to University Hospital for evaluation.
“In saving this child’s life, these officers exhibited the type of dedication and commitment that the people of the City of Newark can be proud of,” Director Ambrose said. “I believe we can all applaud them as heroes and as invaluable community guardians.”