LIHU‘E — It’s been quite a month for Kaua‘i Police Department officer Kenneth Cummings.

Not only did he help arrest a burglary suspect, but his quick actions likely saved the life of a person attempting suicide, his supervisors said.

For his work, he was named KPD Officer of the Month for October. He was honored at the county Police Commission’s monthly meeting Friday at the Historic County Building.

A despondent man had barricaded himself in a room at his home when Cummings kicked the door down and saw the man was hanging by a rope wrapped around his neck, said Lt. Sherwin Kaleo Perez, Lihu‘e district commander in the KPD Patrol Services Bureau.

When the man was cut down, he had no pulse and was not breathing. When Cummings heard the man making gurgling noises, he turned him on his side and hit his back to encourage him to resume breathing.

It worked; the man began coughing and vomiting and started breathing again. Cummings talked to and comforted him until American Medical Response professionals arrived, Perez said. Officers Vernon Scribner and Tyson Relacion assisted.

“Officer Cummings’ quick actions, in my mind, saved the life of this victim, and we all commend him for that,” Perez said.

On another call, a door alarm at a Lihu‘e business, Cummings was first on the scene and saw a man hurriedly walking away from the business. He recognized the man, asked him what he was doing there, and the man said he was waiting for a friend and that the two of them were thinking of going out that night, Perez said.

Cummings said he saw the man putting something into his vehicle shortly before officers David Banquel and Clyde Caires arrived on the scene, Perez said.

Banquel noticed pry marks on the rear entry door of the business, and he and Caires observed two cash registers in the business were open.

In the meantime, the manager of the business was contacted, arrived on scene, and said a flashlight and other items were missing.

Cummings was able to get consent to search the vehicle, found the flashlight inside and through his “alertness and vigilance” arrested the man on burglary charges, Perez said.

Perez said Cummings is officer in charge of his squad in the absence of the regular sergeant, and will again assume that role as acting sergeant effective Monday.

Perez said Cummings and his wife, Dawn, recently organized a weekend crabbing tournament for law-enforcement officers and others, and the highlight was a huge meal to eat all the catch.

• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.