By GINNY COOPER / Staff Writer

HARPERSVILLE—Allan Rice, executive director of the Alabama Fire College, honored Harpersville police chief David Latimer for his help in developing training courses for the organization.

Latimer made “significant contributions” to the development of canine training and fire investigation training and testing courses, which would not have been possible without his expertise in the fields, Rice said.

Rice stressed the unique nature of the training programs, which are “not really like anything in the country,” he said.

Rice and his colleague Rod Glover traveled from Tuscaloosa to Harpersville to present the award to Latimer at the March 3 Harpersville City Council meeting.

“I just wanted to let Harpersville understand how important this contribution is to (the Alabama Fire College),” Rice said.

Mayor Theoangelo Perkins also praised Latimer, and said his service in the community has been a “very valuable asset” to Harpersville.