Joseph Vincent Nicholas Hawkes COM is a Canadian police officer who served as the 14th commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police from March 29, 2014 to November 2, 2018.
Hawkes is a native of Hull, Quebec, and he joined the OPP in 1984. He attended the University of Ottawa (graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree) and later the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management (Police Leadership Program).[3] Hawkes is also a graduate of the international Leadership in Counter Terrorism program.
He became Deputy Commissioner for Investigations and Organized Crime in 2006, and Deputy Commissioner for Field Operations in 2010.[4]
Hawkes assumed command of the OPP on March 29, 2014, taking over from Christopher D. Lewis.[5][6] In September 2018, Hawkes announced that November 2, 2018, would be his last day as Commissioner, since he would be retiring.[1]