Police run toward danger — again — as NJ detectives rescue victims from blazing home

On any late summer Friday afternoon, most of us are thinking about the coming weekend, hitting the beach, grabbing a Friday night beer and just putting the workweek behind us to take a breather.

This was not the case for Detective Sgt. Ruddy Garita and Detective Darin Sliker from the Summit Police Department.

Following the trail of a stolen vehicle

After a BMW was reported stolen from Summit on Thursday, the two had tracked down a trail for the vehicle, leading them to canvass the neighborhood on South 19th Street in Newark.

As they approached, the trip took a turn for the worse as thick black smoke could be seen pouring out of a nearby residence.

Rush into a burning building with lives at stake

The detectives stopped a man running from the building and he said there may be people trapped.

Without missing a beat, they rushed toward the fire, hearing a woman and a toddler screaming for help from the second floor. Detective Sgt. Garita spots a ladder across the street, grabs it and gets to the window and despite the heavy smoke and heat, is able to bring the woman and child out of danger.

#BlueFriday – Nominate local law enforcement to be honored

At the same time, Detective Sliker, accompanied by several officers from Newark Police Department, rushes through the front door and makes their way to the second floor to make sure no one is still in danger.

Summit Police Chief Ryan Peters had this to say about the detectives:

“The actions of Det. Sgt. Garita and Det. Sliker were nothing short of heroic. Their courage, swift decision-making, and unwavering dedication to preserving life under extreme pressure reflect the highest standards of law enforcement. Without regard for their personal safety, they relied on their training, instincts, and commitment to duty to perform life-saving measures in a rapidly deteriorating and dangerous environment.”

This is actually the second time Detective Darin Sliker has been a Blue Friday honoree.

The first time was when he was off-duty and performed lifesaving CPR on a man who was just involved in a hit-and-run. He received the Life Saving Award and the Exceptional Duty Award for that.

Another story that illustrates the critical role police officers play on behalf of strangers. Police run toward danger, not away.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

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