Lynch-Wade, who was fondly known as “Chiefy”, became the second Chief of Police of (then), St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, after he succeeded Walter Samuel, who served as the first top COP from 1960-1964. However, it was not until 1969 that Lynch Wade was officially conferred with the title of Chief of Police. He continued in that position until his retirement from the force in 1973, paving the way for John Morgan Lewis, who served from 1973-1975, when Oriel Hector became the first person to hold the new title of Commissioner of Police.
Mr. Lynch-Wade was both feared and respected within and without the police force, given his tendencies for strict discipline and law and order.
At the height of the so called Anguilla revolution in 1967, Lynch-Wade played a prominent role in defending the integrity of the police force and the restoration of normalcy.
When his long service in the force came to an end in 1973, instead of retiring from public service generally, Mr. Lynch-Wade took the bold initiative to pursue what must have been a life-long dream and ambition, when he enrolled in the Faculty of Law, of the University of the West Indies, (UWI), becoming the oldest first year student on campus at the time. But he did not allow his advanced age to deter the attainment of his goal, to become a lawyer.
Once he secured his LLB after three years of study, he journeyed to Trinidad to complete his two year stint at the Law School there, gaining his Legal Education Certificate, LEC.
After returning home to St. Kitts, Lynch-Wade practiced law in his private office before the government offered him the challenge of serving as magistrate. It was not long before this grandfather became the Senior Magistrate for St. Kitts & Nevis. When he retired from the bench, Chiefy retreated to his home in west Basseterre, keeping a rather low public profile.
Now that the nation has been made aware of his passing at a very advanced age, the country’s Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas, on Tuesday, (30th October, 2012), praised the former COP for his service of distinction.
The Prime Minister told listeners of his weekly radio program on Tuesday that he admired and respected the determination of Mr. Lynch-Wade. He said Chiefy was one with great capacity to lead the police force, especially at a time when the country was going through a turbulent period. He said Mr. Lynch-Wade was able to bring discipline, to not only the men and women he led, but those who were citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis under his watch.
Douglas said that as a little boy growing up in St. Kitts, he knew of Mr. Lynch-Wade but as an adult attending university, he (Douglas) was also able to have the privilege and honour to be at university with him (Lynch-wade), at the Cave Hill campus of the UWI, while the former COP was perusing his law degree. Lynch-Wade qualified as a lawyer within the OECS in 1979, and was also admitted to the Bar in Barbados, Montserrat, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago, in addition to St. Kitts & Nevis.
“I want to say to the family that you may be in bereavement now, but I am sure Mr Lynch-Wade is at peace with his God. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the Prime Minister concluded.
He is survived by his children Lona, Elaine, Denise and John Jr. (who himself became a well-known police officer in the 1980s).