The City of Cayce is undergoing some leadership changes again.

The city hired Bruce Wade in March as the chief of the Cayce Police Department.

And Jim Crosland, the city's current city manager, has announced his retirement.

Wade is replacing Herbert Blake, who resigned in December after less than three months on the job. According to an earlier report from the Chronicle, the city “mutually” parted ways with Blake.

Over the last three months, Wade has been serving in an advisory role at the City of Cayce police department through a partnership between Cayce and the City of West Columbia. 

“We are thankful for Asst. Chief Wade’s diligence at the advisory level. We welcome him as our new Cayce Police Chief,” Crosland said in a release. “He is highly regarded in the field of policing, and, through his time with us in this role, he has a keen understanding of the needs of our community.”

Wade began his career in 1998 in Bennettsville, S.C., serving as a correctional officer. In 2005, he began working with the West Columbia Police Department and was named the police captain over investigations in 2012. In 2021, he was named the assistant chief. 

Wade is a graduate of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, the FBI Command College and the Local Government Leadership Institute. In September 2025, he will have received his Doctor of Criminal Justice. He also holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Columbia College

“Our citizens want to know that when they call for help that someone will be there. They want to know that their Police Department is focused on crime prevention and citizen safety. Our team does that, but they do it best when they are supported with great leadership,” Cayce Mayor Elise Partin said. “I'm excited for Bruce to provide that and give that guidance and support to our amazing team. His impressive education and background provide a great example for our officers and will be a benefit for our city and citizens!”

Tim James, Cayce's mayor pro-tem, expressed that having Wade can strengthen relationships with other departments.

“This type of partnership is unprecedented and continues to enhance the safety of our community. The criminal element does not know or care about jurisdictional lines, and placing Chief Wade in this position will strengthen our partnership for enforcement beyond our city lines, which is essentially what true crime prevention is,’’ he said. 

In other news

After serving in different roles for the city of Cayce for 28 years, the city manager, Jim Crosland, announced his retirement. His last day will be Aug. 8. 

“It’s a rarity that in an organization someone can start at the very basic entry level position and have an opportunity to retire as the City Manager,” Crosland wrote in a statement to council members. “I believe we have set a firm foundation for moving forward with a concentration in economic development, code compliance procedures, implementing new employee incentives, and creating wonderful partnerships with our citizens and commercial partners.”

Crosland served in the United States Coast Guard and earned his associate and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice. He also graduated from the 265th session of the FBI National Academy for Executive Leadership. 

Prior to coming to the City of Cayce, Crosland served as a corrections officer and member of the narcotics team with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. 

Throughout his time in Cayce, Crosland held different roles, including city manager, deputy city manager and former assistant director of the Cayce Department of Public Safety. 

“Jim is a true servant leader who has left his legacy at Cayce. He is one of the hardest-working people who has worked for our city,” Councilman Hunter Sox said in a release. “While I am truly saddened to see him go, I am excited for him to enter this new phase of life. Jim has left this city in a better position than he inherited and has laid the groundwork for future success.”

The press release read that Crosland will help find a new city manager who can help strengthen Cayce and meet the city’s needs. 

On Thursday, May 8, a special council meeting was held. Council members went into executive session for over two hours to discuss personnel matter related to the city manager position.