Our Executive Team

Chief Sara Cunningham

Chief Sara Cunningham joined the Greater Sudbury Police Service in 1998 and throughout her 27-year career has served in variety of investigative and operational roles. Prior to her appointment to Deputy Chief in 2021, she was the Executive Officer to the Chief of Police and Inspector in charge of Strategic Operations overseeing the Professional Standards Bureau/Quality Assurance, Special Investigations Unit Liaison, Risk Management, Corporate Event Logistics, Project Management, Equity/Inclusion and Diversity, Indigenous Liaison, Procedure Writing, Research, Development and Analytics.

In December of 2021, she was promoted to Deputy Chief of Operations which included Patrol Operations, Criminal Investigations, Community Policing, Integrated Operations which is comprised of the Emergency Response unit and Traffic Management as well as the 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Centre.

In 2023, she became the Deputy Chief of Administration overseeing Human Resources and Professional Development, Finance, Communications and Information Technology and Records and Information Management. This included ensuring inclusive and diverse recruitment strategies, the preparation for the integration of Next Generation 9-1-1, and fiscal prudence through transitioning the Service to a two-year budget cycle.

Chief Cunningham is dedicated to community service and enhancing community partnerships by continuing to work collaboratively with key stakeholder groups. In the past, she was a key driver in developing and launching Sudbury’s highly successful Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team. She is passionate about professionalism, teamwork, and relationship building. She is committed to building on GSPS’s strong foundation of being an innovative police leader by embracing technology, leveraging data and analytics and intelligence-based policing while empowering and supporting its members.

Chief Cunningham is committed to fostering a healthy, inclusive, and member-centred workplace. She champions transparency, fairness, and equity, while supporting the physical and psychological well-being of all members. Through strong leadership, succession planning, and a culture of recognition and growth, she ensures that every member feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive as our members are our greatest asset.

Chief Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Laurentian University and is a graduate of the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management Police Leadership Program. She is the recipient of the Governor General Exemplary Service 20-year medal and a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. She is a member of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Ontario Women in Law Enforcement. She is an honorary Lieutenant Colonel with the 2^nd Battalion Irish Regiment and a Board member of the Sudbury Food Bank.