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Raheem Springer had nothing but praise for the Newark Fire Division for its outreach effort to bring new members into the fire service. 
 
P. Seelinger, a member of the Fire Division, set up a table in the neighborhood on Monday at Fourth Avenue and N. 11th Street to recruit people interested in becoming a firefighter. 
  
“This is a good thing that they are reaching out to kids,’’ said Springer, a resident. “This is what they got going on. If I had known they were out here I could have gotten a lot of people.’’  
  
Seelinger was joined by Newark Police Lieutenant K. Hopkins, who also encouraged residents walking by to get information about the hiring process. Several young men did, asking questions about what they needed to do.  
 
The fire and police division tandem is part of the Newark Department of Public Safety’s Summer Initiative to meet residents, address their concerns, reduce violence and share information about city services. You’ll always see a member of the divisions after community roll-call, a briefing held outside for new and experienced officers to receive their patrol assignments with the Community Focus Unit. The roll-call, however, has another purpose that residents like. They get to see officers, on foot, lined up in formation in their neighborhood. 
 
Many of them recently graduated from the academy and are now walking city neighborhoods. Officer D. Reeves bumped into Itza Done, a longtime supporter who was beaming with pride – again – when she saw him for the first time on patrol after the graduation.
 
“I cried at his graduation. I recorded everything,’’ Done said.  “He’s a good young man. He deserves this. He’s in the right profession.” #newarknj #publicsafety #police #firefighters #community #partnership #newjersey #cops #BackTogetherAgain