Former Winnipeg police chief Clunis appointed Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing

A familiar face from Winnipeg’s policing history is moving on to a new post in Ontario.

Devon Clunis, who served as Winnipeg police chief from 2012-2016, has been appointed Ontario’s first Inspector General of Policing.

In the new role, announced Friday, Clunis — the first Black man ever to serve as a Canadian chief of police — will oversee policing in Ontario with the goal of making it more transparent and accountable, through the creation of an Inspectorate of Policing.

The inspectorate is intended to operate at arm’s length from government, and will monitor police services and boards with the goal of preventing police misconduct — and to impose measures where necessary, the Ontario government said in a release.

It will also investigate policing complaints and ensure effective policing services are provided across the province.

Clunis’ new position, as well as the creation of the inspectorate, are part of the Ontario government’s work on the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act (CPSA) of 2019, which is intended to reform policing and create a new framework for oversight.

2:21 Devon Clunis, former Winnipeg police chief, during the Justice 4 Black Lives rally