By Graham Sweeney
Collierville Police Chief David Tillner announced his retirement from the position he has served for roughly 18 months on Friday afternoon.
In a letter addressed to the town’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen, as well as Human Resources Director Jay Jeffries, Tillner wrote, “This correspondence shall serve as my official notification of my retirement from the Town of Collierville effective 12/20/2019 at 5 p.m.”
Tillner was unanimoulsy named Collierville’s Chief of Police by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen last June.
Prior to joining the Collierville Police Department ranks, Tillner served as an active duty member of the United States Marine Corps.
His tours of duty included an assignment with the White House Oval Office Detail for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush where he was awarded the Presidential Service Badge.
Tillner began his law enforcement career with the Collierville Police Department in June 1989. As a patrolman, he served the department as a SWAT Team member, Field Training officer, Crisis Intervention Team officer and as a member of the Traffic Unit.
In 1992, he was reassigned to the Detective Division as an investigator where he served for five years, then was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1997 and served as a field commander and Traffic Unit commander in two divisional assignments. He was promoted to captain in 2000 and served as division commander for Staff Services, Uniform Patrol Division and the Criminal Investigations
Division for 10 years.
Tillner was promoted to assistant chief in 2010.
A graduate of the FBI National Academy 208th session, he is a member of several professional organizations. His career with the Collierville Police Department has also included charitable fundraising efforts for Tennessee Special Olympics and the Collierville Education Foundation as the coordinator of the Law Enforcement Torch Run and the Collierville Police Classic Car and Bike Show.
Tillner succeeded Larry Goodwin, who announced his retirement last year. Goodwin started with the Collierville Police Department in 1996 and was named Chief of Police in 1999.
