NJIT Police Lead New York City SEAL Swim Charity Event
NJIT's Department of Public Safety was once again tasked with the honor to lead hundreds of Navy SEALs, veterans, police officers, fire fighters and first responders in the pre-swim run from the Liberty State Park Sept. 11 Monument to the Hudson. Participants then swam across the Hudson and ran to their final stop at the Sept. 11 memorial in lower Manhattan as part of the charitable event.
The event, benefitting the Navy SEAL Foundation, supports more than 30 essential Navy SEAL Foundation programs for SEAL community active duty, veterans and their families. Along the route, swimmers stopped at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the World Trade Center to perform push-ups and pull-ups to recognize our nation's civil liberties, honor all those who came before seeking a better life, and to remember those who lost their lives on 9/11 and the Extortion 17 helicopter attack, respectively.
Representing NJIT’s police force were Police Officer Keila Santiago-Arocho, Police Officer Kevin Berge, Detective John Impallomeni, Lieutenant James Casey and Deputy Chief Mike Villani. NJIT’s officers, dressed in full uniform, lead the group in the two-mile run to the river’s edge.
"It was an honor and privilege to actively participate in the Navy SEAL Foundation New York City SEAL swim," said NJIT Deputy Chief Mike Villani. "We are proud to support our brothers and sisters of the armed forces who have selflessly served. We are even more humbled to run and participate in support of those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We thank our partners and friends at the Navy SEAL Foundation for this incredible opportunity, and look forward to participating in the years to come.”