NEWARK — It's not often someone rushes into a police precinct in Newark at 4 a.m. with good news. But a city man did just that today when he told officers his daughter was giving birth in a car parked out front.

As Newark police officers Marisol Gonzalez and Ronney Godwin worked the desk at the city's 4th Precinct early this morning, a neighborhood resident ran in and asked them to help his daughter, who was in labor. The two responded outside, where they helped deliver a healthy baby boy in a car on 17th Avenue, according to a press release from the city.

The newborn and his mother, a 26-year-old woman who was not named, were transported to UMDNJ hospital in stable condition following the delivery, the release said.

Police Director Samuel DeMaio congratulated the new mother on the healthy delivery of her baby. "Its great that the officers were ready, willing, and able to rise to the occasion as they went above and beyond the call of duty to assist one of our residents and share in a moment of triumph instead of tragedy," DeMaio said.

"Our police officers are called upon to protect and serve our residents, and that often goes above and beyond the call of duty," Newark Mayor Cory Booker said, commending Gonzalez and Godwin. "In this case, our officers successfully brought a new life into the City of Newark, in a difficult situation."