Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner Chris Lewis announces the arrest of three people, Kathleen Chung, Jun-Chul Chung and Kenneth Chung, in a case of lottery insider fraud at a press conference in Toronto on Wednesday, September 29, 2010. A father, son and female family member are all facing charges after allegedly stealing a $12.5-million lottery ticket in Burlington, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrien VeczanAdrien Veczan/The Canadian Press
For Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Chris Lewis, the investigation of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford will not be the first time the 35-year veteran of the force has been tapped for a high-profile probe. He has also been in the spotlight for his role investigating the office of former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty.
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair sent a letter to Commissioner Lewis this week asking the OPP to take an "oversight" role in Project Brazen 2 – an investigation of the Toronto mayor and his friend, alleged drug dealer Alessandro Lisi.
Commissioner Lewis became a familiar face at the Ontario legislature in the investigation into allegations Liberal political staffers deleted e-mail records related to the cancellation of two Ontario power plants. Last month, investigators in that probe visited the office of Premier Kathleen Wynne.
Commissioner Lewis, who is to retire at the end of this month, started as a constable in Kapuskasing, Ont. He has earned all three levels of the Canadian Order of Merit of the Police Forces – and was tapped to lead the OPP in 2010.
Deputy Commissioner Vince Hawkes will replace him on March 29.
With reports from Karen Howlett and The Canadian Press
Ann Hui