Walter A. Shay Jr.
Chief of Police
At the time that Mayor Barton and the councilmen were appointing the city’s new police force, Walter A. Shay still had approximately two years left on his elected position as San Bernardino town marshal. The mayor and council would have to wait until Shay’s term expired before they could appoint him the city’s first full-time chief of police. Walter Shay was born on June 29, 1866, in San Bernardino. In 1892 he married Matilda “Tille” McCoy-Shay and they lived at 495 N. “C” Street. After trying his hand at farming, Mr. Shay began his law enforcement career as a San Bernardino County deputy sheriff in 1899. In 1903 he was elected to a term as city marshall for the City of San Bernardino, a position he held until being named chief of police.
W.A. Shay went on to be appointed as chief of police by three different mayors between 1905 and 1917. In 1918 Shay ran for and was elected San Bernardino County sheriff, where he served until 1931 when he was succeeded by his nephew Ernest Shay, who in turn was succeeded by Walter’s son, Emmett, in 1934.
Chief Shay died on August 2, 1931 and is buried at San Bernardino’s Pioneer Cemetery next to his wife, Tille.