Following a distinguished 36-year career with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Chris Lewis retired as Commissioner of one of North America’s largest police organizations, where he led more than 9,500 employees and volunteers serving communities, highways and waterways across approximately one million square kilometres of Ontario through a $1.2 billion annual budget. He was a supervisor, senior officer and executive for 28 years of his career.
Throughout his career, Chris earned a reputation as an authentic leader who inspired trust, built high-performing teams, and successfully guided organizations through periods of significant change, crisis, and public scrutiny. Rising through every rank of policing—from frontline Constable to Commissioner—he led many complex criminal investigations, emergency responses, tactical operations, major public safety operations, and organizational transformation initiatives.
As Commissioner, Chris represented the OPP at the provincial, national, and international levels while strengthening partnerships with governments, Indigenous communities, municipal police services, and public safety organizations. Earlier executive appointments included responsibility for Provincial Field Operations, Organized Crime investigations, criminal intelligence, emergency response, information technology and Indigenous policing. He also provided executive leadership for numerous internationally significant security operations involving world leaders, major public demonstrations, and critical incidents.
