A Salute To Officer Timmins: Alton Mayor, I.T. Director, Mayor's Wife, Have First Responder Theme At Halloween Parade

Nov 1, 2021 2:50 PM Nov 2, 2021 4:23 PM

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ALTON - The City of Alton mayor, the city I.T. director, and the mayor’s wife paid tribute to first responders in their presentation Saturday night at the Alton Halloween Parade.

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City of Alton Information Technology Director Jarvis Swope said the group had a special place in their hearts during the parade for his good friend, Pontoon Beach Officer Tyler Timmins, who lost his life in the line of duty this past week.

“Officer Timmins was a close friend and colleague and we remember him tonight as our first responder theme,” Swope said on Saturday night.

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Mayor Goins wore a police hat during the parade and the truck he drove was donated by Roberts Motors and was decorated with a first responder theme. Mayor Goins rolled down Broadway earlier, then later Jarvis and Sheila Goins, the mayor’s wife, drove their corvettes that were also decorated in the first responder tribute. Jarvis had a 2009 corvette and Sheila a 2016 model.

Mayor Goins, a retired Alton Police officer with roughly 25 years of service, said the first responder theme was to memorialize Officer Timmins and his service and also a thank you to first responders. He had a photo of Officer Timmins on the front of his truck.

“Officer Timmins gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Mayor Goins said. “The reason we said thank you is first responders do put their lives on the line every day and they never know what can happen. That is why we thought it was right to remember Officer Timmins and say thank you to all the first responders.”