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You’ve probably heard of "work from home," but "work from Florida while running a Massachusetts police department" is a whole different ball game. Honestly, the story of David Tillinghast Punta Gorda FL is one of those local news nuggets that managed to stir up a massive debate about the future of public safety and the ethics of remote leadership.
It sounds like a Florida man punchline, but the reality is way more nuanced.
David Tillinghast wasn't just some random guy in a Hawaiian shirt. He was the Executive Director of Public Safety and Police Chief for Bridgewater State University (BSU), the largest state university in Massachusetts. For about 18 months, he was effectively calling the shots from a home in Punta Gorda, Florida—over 1,300 miles away from the campus he was sworn to protect.
The Remote Chief Controversy Explained
Why was he there? It wasn't just about the sunshine.
The situation started when Tillinghast originally planned to retire in early 2023. However, his intended successor, Deputy Chief Glen Anderson, was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal lung disease that required a double lung transplant. It was a crisis. BSU President Frederick Clark Jr. basically asked Tillinghast to stay on to ensure the department didn't fall apart during Anderson’s medical leave.
Because Tillinghast had already made plans to move to his home in Punta Gorda, FL, the university agreed to let him work remotely.
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What People Got Wrong About the Arrangement
Most critics jumped straight to the "absentee boss" narrative. They pictured a chief ignoring his duties while sitting poolside.
But the university’s side of the story is different. President Clark defended the move, calling Tillinghast one of the best campus police chiefs in the country. He argued that in a modern administrative role, you can be effective through Zoom, email, and constant digital communication. During this period, BSU was actually ranked as one of the safest campuses in the United States.
Still, the optics were... not great.
Especially when you consider the paycheck. Tillinghast was earning over $170,000 a year while living in Florida. For many Massachusetts taxpayers and law enforcement purists, the idea of a "remote police chief" felt like an oxymoron. Can you really lead a tactical response to a campus emergency from a living room in Charlotte County?
The Certification Snag in 2024
Things got even stickier when the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission stepped in.
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In July 2024, it came to light that Tillinghast was "Not Certified." Why? He hadn't attended mandatory in-service training or the "Bridge Academy" required by the state's 2020 criminal justice reform law. Basically, if you aren't on the ground to do the training, you can't keep your badge active.
Tillinghast appealed this, arguing that his certification should remain in place while the case was pending. But it added a layer of legal complexity to an already weird situation.
- The Location: Punta Gorda, FL (where he was registered to vote).
- The Job: Chief of Police in Bridgewater, MA.
- The Status: Remotely managing a staff of officers from a thousand miles away.
A Legacy Beyond the Headlines
By the time late 2025 rolled around, the dust had mostly settled. Despite the "25 Investigates" reports and the social media chatter, Bridgewater State University chose to honor Tillinghast’s 30-plus years of service.
In October 2025, they actually named the campus police station after him.
It’s a bizarre contrast. On one hand, you had a national debate about remote work in "essential" roles. On the other, you have a university community that credited him with developing racially just policing policies and installing life-saving Narcan and defibrillators across campus.
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Glen Anderson, the man whose illness prompted the whole Florida arrangement, eventually received his transplant, recovered, and took over as Chief. Tillinghast officially retired to his life in Punta Gorda, leaving behind a legacy that is—depending on who you ask—either a model of modern flexibility or a cautionary tale of administrative overreach.
Navigating Public Record Inquiries
If you’re looking into David Tillinghast Punta Gorda FL for real estate or professional reasons, here is what the public record actually shows as of early 2026:
- Property Status: Records in Charlotte County confirm his residency in the Alcazar Dr area of Punta Gorda. This is a quiet, residential section of the city, far removed from the collegiate bustle of New England.
- Professional Standing: He is officially retired from law enforcement as of November 2024. His career spanned over three decades, most of which was spent physically on-site in Massachusetts before the final remote chapter.
- Community Impact: While he lives in Florida now, his "impact" remains in Massachusetts. The "David H. Tillinghast Police Station" serves as the current hub for BSU public safety.
The takeaway? The "Remote Chief" saga is largely over, but it changed the conversation about what "being present" means in a high-stakes leadership role. For the residents of Punta Gorda, he's just another neighbor. For the students at BSU, he’s a name on a building.
If you are researching this case for administrative or legal precedents regarding remote work in public sectors, focus on the Massachusetts POST Commission's rulings from 2024. They provide the most concrete "rules" on why a remote arrangement for law enforcement is likely to remain a rare exception rather than a new trend.