Shoeless In A Rainstorm: Newark Cops Assist Boy With Autism

NEWARK, NJ — When a Newark police officer responds to a call, there’s a one-in-four chance they’re headed to a “social intervention” that may have nothing to do with a crime. And last week — in the middle of a rainstorm — a pair of local cops showed that chasing down criminals is only one of many hats they’re expected to wear while patrolling the streets.

According to the Newark Department of Public Safety, the mother of an 11-year-old boy called police after her son wandered away from home July 6.

The boy, who is on the autism spectrum, was spotted by two people in the 800 block of South 20th Street around 4 p.m., just minutes after his mother placed her 911 call, authorities said.

Shortly after the bystanders informed police about the missing youth, officers Latina Martin and Joseph Fayiah arrived on the scene, where they found the boy with no shoes on his feet, shivering and soaking wet in the downpour. It was a serious situation in a city where streets routinely flood during rainstorms, and firefighters have been forced to use boats to rescue stranded motorists.

Taking over for the two good Samaritans who waited by his side, Martin and Fayiah began to speak calmly with the child, who was sensitive to touch and didn’t make eye contact. From the beginning, it was clear the boy was on the autism spectrum and needed help, the officers said.

“He knew something was wrong,’’ Martin recalled. “He knew he wasn’t where he was supposed to be.”

With a gentle touch, she and Fayiah guided the boy to their patrol car and into the back seat.

“I was telling him that it’s OK,’’ Martin said. “You can come with us.”

Both officers reassured the child that he was safe, then drove him to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center to be evaluated. He was later reunited with his mother and aunt, who thanked both police and passersby for their level-headed efforts.

“They really did a good job with him,” the child’s mother said. “By the time I got to the hospital, he was smiling. He was sitting there with a muffin and juice, and he was happy. I'm just glad they were able to find him before anything happened.”

The incident was captured on the officers’ body-worn cameras, which became a requirement for Newark police as part of a series of reforms the department rolled out under a federal consent decree in 2016.

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“I can’t say enough about what these officers did for this child,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose stated. “The care that officers Martin and Fayiah showed to ensure his safety is a testament to their character and professionalism.”

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Recently, Ambrose said that about 25 percent of the calls Newark police get are for “social intervention.”

In June, city officials announced that Newark will use almost $12 million to create a new Office of Violence Prevention, that will include a range of social services and serve as a place where in-need residents can get a helping hand.

The city will re-channel about 5 percent of its policing budget to pay for it. No officers will be laid off, officials said.

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It's hardly the first time that Newark's police apparatus has been repurposed to serve the community, Mayor Ras Baraka said.

For example, the Newark Public Safety Department put social workers on its payroll long before the death of George Floyd, he pointed out. And efforts such as the department's Hope One — a mobile police unit that offers social services and does outreach to local homeless residents — have been taking place for years.

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