A retired law enforcement officer and former member of the local gang task force was honored Friday with the Gainesville-Northeastern Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award.
The award was presented to Joe Amerling during the Association's annual Law Day Luncheon which was held at the Gainesville Civic Center. It is given each year to a non-lawyer.
The winner of the A.R. Kenyon Award, which goes to a member of the legal profession, was John Smith of the Smith Gilliam law firm.