HUNDREDS OF former and current members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are expected to converge at the old CIB headquarters on East Queen Street, downtown Kingston tonight for the wake of retired Senior Superintendent Tony Hewitt.

The 69-year-old was gunned down by criminals while visiting an apartment complex off Red Hills Road, St Andrew, on Sunday, September 16.

Senior Superintendent Derrick 'Cowboy' Knight, who was one of his mentees, is among the list of officers who last saw him alive, at the Kingston Public Hospital.

"Myself and another officer were there when he exited the X-Ray department, on seeing him, the officer shouted 'Mr T', but he did not respond. Then I shouted out 'Bossie' and he opened his eyes 'faintishly', smiled and said 'Cowboy', then closed back his eyes. Later on, I got a call that he was dead. I couldn't sleep that night," said Knight.

Hewitt was his adviser and one of the officers who guided him as a young detective during his early years at the Flying Squad.

"He was always close to me, and up to two weeks before his death we had lunch. The country has lost a devoted, committed and loyal servant," said Knight, who currently heads the St Andrew Central Police division.

Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Osbourne Dyer said on the day when Hewitt was killed, they had both planned to attend a church service at the Mamby Park Baptist Church.

"We were unable to attend the service because Hewitt had gone to his uncle's funeral in the country and came in late the Saturday night. Then the following morning, he was kept busy assisting relatives, who had come down for the funeral and were returning overseas," said Dyer.

The retired ACP said he and Hewitt had pre-planned a post-birthday lunch on the Monday - the day after he was killed.

Hewitt will be buried on Saturday with a thanksgiving service at the Boulevard Baptist Church. Interment takes place at Dovecot Memorial Park, St Catherine.

glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com