New Commander for OPP North West Region
THUNDER BAY, ON – Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Superintendent Mark Pritchard, former Commander of the Aboriginal Policing Bureau at OPP General Headquarters, has been promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent and named Commander of OPP North West Region. Chief Superintendent Pritchard fills the vacancy created by the retirement of the former Regional Commander, Darrell Smiley.
Chief Superintendent Pritchard oversees almost 500 uniformed and civilian members responsible for providing front-line and specialized policing services. North West Region covers 421,000 square kilometers with 9-host and 15-satellite detachments. OPP Chief Superintendent Mark Pritchard (Supplied photo)
“I am extremely proud to be appointed to my new position in North West Region. I look forward to working with the dedicated members of the OPP along with Municipal and First Nations police services as we rise to meet the challenges of policing such a large, diverse area. We will work with and engage our communities to promote safety and reduce victimization.” OPP Chief Superintendent Mark Pritchard.
Chief Superintendent Mark Pritchard is an award-winning officer with 3 decades of diverse experience in both municipal and provincial policing. For almost a decade, Pritchard was a case manager in the Criminal Investigation Branch. Pritchard also represented the OPP on the Ontario Chief Coroner’s Death Under Five Review Committee and was involved in re-writing and updating the OPP’s Quality Assurance Manual for homicide investigations. He was a recipient of the Jim Pott’s Accolade Award for First Nations Policing in 2009.
Chief Superintendent Pritchard has instructed at the Ontario Police College and the Provincial Police Academy on a variety of courses focusing on the investigation of serious crimes. He has also lectured at Nipissing University and Cannadore College on Ontario’s Major Case Management System. In January 2011, Pritchard was appointed as Officer in Charge of Major Case Management for the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
