Norman Tilghman Police Chief

Mr. Norman Tilghman hired on to the Delmar, Delaware police force in 1953.  In 1954 the towns of Delmar Delaware and Delmar Maryland combined their police forces and had one police department that could operate in both states.  Norman Tilghman was selected to be Police Chief.  He had one patrolman under him and that was Franklin J. Richardson.  Each pulled a shift sharing a police car.

Chief Tilghman (1919-1989) was 35 years old at the time and lived in Delmar.  His wife in 1954 was Betty Mae Wilson Tilghman ( -2017).  She was originally from Delmar

Chief Tilghman was the son of Luther and Lillian Guthrie Tilghman.  He had served in the army in World War 2 and after he got out he worked for the Salisbury Police Department and then he was a taxi driver and then he sold cars.  He decided to join the Delmar Police.  He had married young to Elsie Gertrude and they had a son Luther Allen Tilghman.  The marriage didn’t work.  Betty Mae and Norman would have two daughters; Janie and Robin Ann.  Norman would go on to work for the Wicomico County Sheriff department.