Commissioner's Bio
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Chris D. Lewis became Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on August 1, 2010. By accepting this role, he assumed responsibility for one of North America’s largest deployed police services – a police service comprised of over 6,100 uniformed members, over 2,700 civilian employees and approximately 850 Auxiliary members who provide services to 942,405 square kilometres of land and 94,610 square kilometres of waterways. Commissioner Lewis oversees front-line delivery, administrative support services as well as specialized and multi-jurisdictional investigations throughout the province of Ontario.
During his almost 32-year career with the OPP, Commissioner Lewis has amassed a wealth of policing experience, particularly in front-line administration, various investigative disciplines and tactical operations.
In addition to serving as Provincial Commander of Field Operations (2007-2010), he was Interim Provincial Commander of Strategic Services (2006); Commander of the Investigation Support; Investigation; and Information Technologies Bureaux (from 2004-2006); as well as Commander of OPP Eastern Region (2001-2004). Commissioner Lewis fulfilled the role of Director of the Criminal Investigation Branch (2000-2001) and was seconded as Director of the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario (1996-1997). In 1998 and 1999, he formed and then commanded the OPP Emergency Management Bureau. He also worked with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to establish and lead the Cornwall Regional Task Force (1993-1995).
Commissioner Lewis was awarded the Order of Merit of the Police Forces in 2004, and then subsequently promoted to Officer of the Order of Merit in 2010.
He has led the OPP response to a number of high-profile events impacting Ontario’s safety and security. Lewis is also a sought after lecturer on leadership and other policing issues and has authored numerous articles for police publications.
Commissioner Lewis is committed to community-based initiatives and recently served as a member of the Campaign Cabinet for the United Way of Greater Simcoe County. He also chairs the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics Committee.
He holds numerous professional memberships such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
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