Tarleton Police Department Welcomes New Officer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 8, 2018
STEPHENVILLE, Texas—Tarleton State University Chief of Police Matt Welch announced the addition of Charles “Chuck” Gilliland to the force, effective Feb. 5. Gilliland, a veteran law enforcement officer and Tarleton alumnus, will serve the department as an Officer IV.
Welch and fellow Tarleton police officers held a swearing-in ceremony Feb. 6, officially welcoming Gilliland to the department.
Gilliland returns to Tarleton as an employee after graduating in 1990 with his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He retired Jan. 23 from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Police Department as sergeant in the patrol division; he was with the department 25 years. He spent 1990-92 with the Dallas Police Department as a patrol officer.
In 2016 the Tarleton Alumni Association named him a Distinguished Alumnus.
As a student at Tarleton, Gilliland was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, the Purple Poo and the “Toro Team.” Upon graduation, he joined the Dallas Police Department and then went to work as a firefighter for the airport’s Department of Public Safety.
In 1994 he returned to law enforcement, where his cross-training as a firefighter, EMT and police officer served him well. He was promoted to sergeant in 2001 at one of the nation’s most distinctive law enforcement agencies.
“Tarleton is fortunate to have a distinguished alumnus return home to serve the campus community,” said Welch. “Chuck has a wealth of experience to share with the department as DFW Airport Police Department is a not a typical police department. Just like campus police departments, the airport police department serves no permanent residents.”
Gilliland, a resident of nearby Dublin, is as an elder in his church, a member of the Gideons International Group (Stephenville Camp) and president of the DFW chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers (2008-present). He is on the national board of directors for the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers (2008-present) and has published two books — The Gospel of Matthew Through the Eyes of a Cop and The Book of Proverbs Through the Eyes of a Cop.
Gilliland’s family has a rich history with Tarleton. His parents attended Tarleton in the 1960s, and his wife, Angie, is a Tarleton graduate. Gilliland gives back to Tarleton by serving as a guest speaker in criminal justice classes.
Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven educational experience, marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. Offering degree programs in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian and online to more than 13,000 students, Tarleton engages with communities through real-world learning experiences to address societal needs while maintaining its core values of integrity, leadership, tradition, civility, excellence and service.
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Contact: Kurt Mogonye, Senior Communications Specialist
254-968-9460
mogonye@tarleton.edu
