NJIT Police Lead 4th Annual Navy Seal Hudson River Swim

A cadre of NJIT police officers led hundreds of Navy SEALs, fellow veterans and military supporters in the pre-swim run from Liberty State Park Sept. 11 Monument to the Hudson. The attendees 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, hosted by the GI Go Fund, honors those who died during the Sept. 11 attacks and the wars that followed. Along the route, the SEALs stop at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to perform 100 push ups in honor of America's liberties, and 22 pull ups in recognition of 22 veterans who commit suicide every day.

Funds raised go to several charitable causes, including helping homeless veterans, funding the first and only veteran small business incubator, and developing a career training center.

Representing NJIT's police force were Detective John Impallomeni, Officer Kevin Berge, Officer Crystalie Caraballo, Officer Carlos Reyes-Peniagua, and Officer Shirley Quimi. NJIT's officers, dressed in full uniform, had the honor of being the sole force to lead the groups in the two-mile run to the river's edge.

"I could not be more proud of the exceptional leaders that serve on NJIT's force," said Kevin Kesselman, chief of NJIT's Department of Public Safety. "Our team ran these 100 courageous SEALS and 100 corageous supporters with honor, dignity and respect for all they have done for this country and their drive to bring awareness to military, law enforcement, suicide and mental health."