After months of completing a comprehensive and exhaustive search, the Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service Board on Manitoulin Island has named a new police chief.
Ronald Gignac, a decorated police veteran in his own right, recently stepped down as the chief of police in Belleville to take over his new post.
During Chief Gignac’s military career, he was deployed on missions to Cyprus for two tours, the Persian Gulf War and Iraq. He was also posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering as a mine warfare and explosives instructor.
Chief Gignac will bring 38 years of professional experience to the role, including 15 years with the Canadian Armed Forces, 13 years with the OPP and more than a decade with the Deep River Police and Belleville Police.
“Having always led with compassion, Chief Gignac has built a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy in all of the communities he has served,” board president Lawrence Enosse said in the release. “His diverse leadership experience demonstrates his ability to navigate difficult situations, while always maintaining his professionalism and high-quality service. In 2018, he was awarded national recognition for reducing violent crime in his jurisdiction more than any other police chief in Canada within just one year of his appointment.”