I am truly honored and grateful that he chose this way to mark my career at BSU. I accept this tribute on the part of a lot of partners and friends, both present and past.
Among his many accomplishments as police chief, David Tillinghast helped design BSU’s first modern police station.
Now that station will bear his name.
In a recent ceremony, the university named the station after Tillinghast, who served for more than 30 years before retiring in 2024. True to what many remember as his humble leadership style, Tillinghast was quick to pass the praise on to his former fellow officers and President Frederick W. Clark Jr.
“I am truly honored and grateful that he chose this way to mark my career at BSU,” Tillinghast said. “I accept this tribute on the part of a lot of partners and friends, both present and past.”
Despite becoming chief at just 29, Tillinghast led initiatives that put BSU ahead of its peers across the state and around the country. Those included developing a racially just policing policy and installing publicly accessible defibrillators and Narcan. He also enhanced the department’s technology, built effective mutual aid partnerships, and maintained a strong working relationship with his officers.
Clark praised Tillinghast as a trusted colleague who adeptly guided the university through a multitude of challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic to the occasional tragedy. He brought a “very quiet but very effective” leadership style, Clark recalled.
“He has made his mark on this university and region and he has kept this campus safe for more than 30 years,” Clark said.
BSU was ranked the third safest campus in the United States during his tenure, an honor that doesn’t surprise Plymouth County Sheriff Joeseph McDonald Jr.
“There is no better law enforcement agency anywhere in the country than the police department here at BSU,” McDonald said in praising Tillinghast’s leadership.
Current BSU Chief Glen Anderson added: “This dedication will stand as a remembrance of Chief Tillinghast’s legacy, a legacy of integrity, professionalism and compassion.”
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