When K-9 Luto of the Newark Police Department was let loose from his leash Tuesday evening, there was a crowd watching. The same crowd watched when Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company tore the roof from a vehicle using the Jaws of Life.
The demonstrations were part of Newark’s annual National Night Out, an event meant to bring the community and its first responders together for a night to prevent crime and foster ties between law enforcement and residents.
The Academy Street event was part of a nationwide effort that began in 1981 and now involves more than 16,000 communities.
“We love opportunities like this to inform the community of our service,” Jeff Sands, a deputy chief for Aetna, said after the jaws of life demonstration. “We love getting to talk with the kids. It’s a great event Newark Police puts on.”