Nicole O'Reilly
Ontario’s next police commissioner says he is proud of the work his officers have done in Caledonia over the last few years and he is not planning on making any policy changes.
Premier Dalton McGuinty announced today that Chris Lewis, a 32-year OPP veteran, will take over as the province’s top cop on August 1.
“I want to congratulate Deputy Commissioner Lewis for a lifetime of outstanding service that has culminated in becoming our newest OPP commissioner,” McGuinty said at Queen’s Park.
Lewis, who has worked across the province and is popular with the rank and file, has been in charge of the Caledonia case since 2007 as deputy commissioner of field operations. He also oversaw the creation of the Aboriginal Policing Bureau.
“Our role is to keep the peace, not to settle land claims,” he said, adding that he understands there has been some controversy over the area.
“There’s nothing really that I want to change except to continue the great work,” Lewis said.
Lewis replaces outgoing OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino, who has had his share of controversy during his almost four-year tenure.
He was accused of trying to influence municipal officials in connection with the aboriginal occupation in Caledonia, but the private charge was withdrawn.
Lewis, a Sault Ste. Marie native, began his policing career in 1978 in Kapuskasing, a remote northern Ontario area and then moved to Smooth Rock Falls.
Through the next three decades he worked a number of jobs including the Director of Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, commander of the Emergency Management Bureau, the Eastern Region, Information Technologies Bureau and Investigation Bureau.
“I did everything from homicide to polygraph examinations,” Lewis said.
His appointment marks the first time there was a national advertisement for the top job.
Sources say Lewis – who bested fellow OPP deputy Larry Beechey and Toronto Police deputy chief Tony Warr for the top job – will likely maintain a lower profile.
But he said he knows the job sometimes comes with controversy and he wants to be open with the media and public.
Lewis, who will be the 13th OPP commissioner in the service’s 101-year history, will run a force with 5,900 uniformed officers, 1,800 civilian employees and 850 auxiliary members.