Senior Staff
Chief Ronnie E. Lewis Jr.
Chief Ronnie Lewis was sworn in as the Chief of Police for the City of Winchester Police Department on February 3, 2025. Before this position, he served as Chief of Police for the Town of Bedford Police Department from May 2022 until January 2025. With nearly 30 years of experience in public safety, Chief Lewis began his career in 1994 as a member of the Lynchburg Fire Department. During his time there, he held various roles, including firefighter/EMT, a member of the Technical Rescue Team, and a member of the Honor Guard. He also served as a Captain in the Fire Marshal's Office, where he oversaw fire investigations.
In 2007, Chief Lewis transitioned from the fire department to work with Nationwide Insurance as a special investigator specializing in fire investigations. In 2009, he joined the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office as a field deputy, and in 2011, he was hired by the City of Fairfax Police Department. Throughout his tenure in Fairfax, he held several key positions, including Emergency Services Team Commander, Peer Support Team Commander, Commander of the Civil Disturbance Unit, and Patrol Operations Commander.
Chief Lewis graduated from Keiser University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and obtained a Master's Degree in Management from Kaplan University. He has also completed numerous training programs, including the Professional Executive Leadership School, Command Excellence School, Senior Management Institute for Police, and a Certified Public Management program administered by George Mason University.
He takes pride in his service to the public. He strongly believes in proactive community education and citizen partnerships as essential strategies for preventing crime and fostering positive collaborative relationships between the police and the community.
Deputy Chief Jason Poe
Prior to his employment with the WPD, Deputy Chief Poe began his law enforcement career with the Warren County Sheriff's Office as a Communications Officer. In 2001, he graduated from the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justic Academy and became a Patrol Deputy. Throughout his career with WCSO, Deputy Chief Poe was also a member of SWAT, assigned to the Narcotics Division and Criminal Interdiction, became a Sergeant and a SWAT Team Commander.
He began his career with the Winchester Police Department in 2017 as a Day Shift Corporal. In his time here, Deputy Chief Poe climbed the ranks and served as a Patrol Sergeant, Narcotics Taskforce Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and most recently, the Captain of Operations where he oversaw Patrol, Criminal Investigations, SIU/Narcotics, SWAT/Crisis Negotiations Team, School Resource Officers, Animal Control, and the Community Response Team.
Deputy Chief Poe is currently working on his Bachelor's of Criminal Justice from Faulkner University and has successfully completed numerous leadership trainings and seminars throughout his career. As Deputy Chief, he is committed to coming to work every day to serve, motivate, and inspire the employees of WPD so that the department may provide the highest level of service to the Winchester community.
Captain John Mocello
Captain Mocello has served as a law enforcement officer in the Commonwealth of Virginia since 2007. Prior to his sworn service, he contributed to a regional criminal justice training academy developing online programs and instructing a range of courses. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University, where he double majored in Sociology and Media Arts & Design, specializing in digital media and digital video. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 295 and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police’s Professional Executive Leadership School Session 55.
He has held a variety of assignments, including patrol officer, field training officer, detective, forensic interviewer, FBI Safe Streets Task Force Officer, and Detective Sergeant. He last commanded the Leesburg Police Department’s Special Operations Division, overseeing units such as Traffic Management, Special Enforcement, Emergency Response (tactical and negotiations), K-9, Civil Disturbance, and several specialized programs, while also serving as emergency management liaison and special events coordinator.
An experienced investigator and leader, John has conducted complex investigations involving crimes against persons, narcotics, sex crimes, juvenile offenses, human trafficking, and has lead efforts that dismantled criminal organizations at local, national, and international levels.
Captain Sean O'Connor
Captain O’Connor began his career with the Winchester Police Department in 2008. He is one of three founders of WPD’s active threat training program, developed in collaboration with the Winchester Fire & Rescue Department. Since its inception, the program has facilitated four multi-agency training exercises to enhance coordinated emergency response.
Throughout his career, Captain O’Connor has served in both the Patrol and K-9 Divisions before being promoted to a supervisory role overseeing School Resource Officers, Animal Control Officers, the K-9 Unit, and Field Training Officers. He was later promoted to the rank of Captain.
Captain O’Connor’s service has been recognized with three Lifesaving Medals, a Meritorious Action Medal, a Certificate of Valor, and a Gold Medal of Valor—an honor he is only the second individual in WPD history to receive.
In addition to his operational leadership, Captain O’Connor is an active instructor at the Skyline Regional Criminal Justice Academy and has completed the FBI-LEEDA Leadership Trilogy.
Captain Joshua Spishak
Captain Spishak began his career in public safety with the Winchester Police Department in 2005.
He served in the Patrol Division as a police officer until 2016, when he was promoted to Sergeant. In 2017, he was promoted to Lieutenant, continuing his leadership. In 2018, he transferred to the Administration Division, where he led the implementation of the department’s Body-Worn Camera Program. He later served as a Lieutenant in the Administration Division and within the Office of Professional Standards. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2022.
Captain Spishak has held several specialized and leadership roles throughout his career. He was a member of the Crisis Negotiation Team from 2009 to 2025 and served as Commander of the team from 2022 to 2025. In 2021, he founded the Winchester Police Department Motor Unit and currently serves as its Commander. In 2025, he served as the department’s Operations Commander and now serves as Commander of the Administration Division.
He is a certified Firearms Instructor, Field Training Officer, and General Instructor. His professional development includes numerous leadership trainings, the FBI First Line Supervisor School, and the Professional Executive Leadership School.
Captain Matthew Bielecki
Captain Bielecki has served in patrol, the Community Response Team, and in multiple investigative and supervisory roles.
As an officer and later as a detective, he worked in the Special Investigations Unit and was assigned to the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force. He went on to supervise Patrol, the Community Response Team, the Special Investigations Division, and the Criminal Investigations Division as a Sergeant, and served more than three years as Team Leader of the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force. As a Lieutenant, he was assigned to night shift command and the Criminal Investigations Division. He has led the department’s Civil Disturbance Team since its inception.
Captain Bielecki has been honored five times by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for DUI enforcement and has received recognition from the Drug Enforcement Administration and The Horseshoe Curve Benevolent Association for his work in drug investigations.
He is a certified Field Training Officer, Police Cyclist, DCJS General Instructor, DCJS Firearms Instructor, and NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Test Instructor. His leadership training includes the National Tactical Officers Association, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police leadership program, the Law Enforcement Leadership Institute, Magnus Leadership, and advanced drug, gang, anti-terrorism, and DUI/DUID detection training.
General Orders