Hawai‘i Police Department Officer Laurence Davis was honored as the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i Officer of the Month for October 2021 during a ceremony at the Pāhoa Police Station on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.  Davis was honored for his lifesaving efforts aiding an elderly driver at the scene of a car crash, 
 
On September 24, 2021, Officer Davis, who has been on the force less than two years, responded to a single vehicle collision in Mountain View when he learned that the vehicle had flipped over resting on its roof and was on fire with two elderly occupants trapped within the car. Officer Davis then rushed to the scene and was the first to respond.
 
Upon arriving at the crash scene Officer Davis observed that the vehicle was resting on its side and the fire had been extinguished. While the vehicle’s passenger had been extricated with the help of bystanders, the driver was still trapped within the vehicle and unresponsive.
 
Officer Davis determined that the driver was not only unconscious, but was not breathing, and had no pulse. He also realized that the only viable opening to pull the driver out of the vehicle was through the front windshield.  Using his baton to shatter the car’s sunroof, Officer Davis pushed his body through the opening, and with the help of bystanders was able to maneuver the driver’s body through the front windshield.
 
After removing the driver from the vehicle, Officer Davis immediately started CPR, continuing for eight minutes until the driver was breathing on his own and had a faint pulse at which point Officer Davis placed the driver in the recovery position until Hawai’i Fire Department personnel arrived on scene. The driver was transported to Hilo Medical Center in critical but stable condition and was released a little over a week later.
 
Officer Davis’ recognition of the severity of the medical emergency, his quick response, and effective CPR skills directly resulted directly in saving the driver’s life.
 
This is the second time Officer Davis has been selected as Officer of the Month in 2021 by the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i.  In March 2021, he was honored for repeatedly diffusing tense situations with his calm demeanor.
 
Every month the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i honors a police officer in East Hawaii as their officer of the month. Officers are nominated by their supervisors from the police districts in Area I, including Hāmākua, North Hilo, South Hilo, and Puna, and a winner is selected. All officers selected for Officer of the Month are eligible to be selected as the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawai‘i Officer of the Year.