Bellmawr PD’s Sgt. Chris Cummings Awarded Valor Medal

Sgt. Chris Cummings of the Bellmawr Police Department was awarded a Medal of Valor, along with a Proclamation, in recognition of his heroic actions stemming from an incident that took place at the Tanger Outlets (The Walk) in Atlantic City on September 1.

That day, a suspect shot and killed another person and then proceeded to enter the same store that Sgt. Cummings was in. While in the store, the suspect fired a round into his own torso. Sgt. Cummings was in close proximity to the suspect and physically restrained him.

Sgt. Cummings secured control of the firearm, removed it from the situation, and prevented the suspect from inflicting further harm to himself or others. Atlantic City Police then arrived and took the suspect into custody.

Patrolman Kevin Lokaj of PBA Local 375 presented Sgt. Cummings with the Medal of Valor and Police Chief William Walsh read and presented the Proclamation at last week’s council meeting.

The Medal of Valor is awarded for an outstanding act in the line of duty, at imminent personal hazard of life with full knowledge of the risk involved. The Medal of Valor is a gold bar with a blue plate engraved with “Valor” on the plate and is to be worn over the right breast.

*Article updated on October 28, 2016 at 9:15 to note that Sgt. Cummings was also featured in the October, 2016 issue of NJ Cops magazine.