Julian Fantino, the former top cop with the Ontario Provincial Police, is expected to announce Tuesday that he's entering federal politics.

The career police officer issued a news release Monday evening, saying that he will make an unspecified announcement around 9:30 a.m. ET at a Woodbridge, Ont., banquet hall.

The Tories have been courting Fantino to stand as a federal candidate for some time, and there has been speculation recently that he will accept the offer.

The Prime Minister's Office has played down the rumours. But last week, an unnamed senior government source told the Toronto Star that Fantino is "going for it, no doubt."

Fantino's tenure as OPP chief commissioner ended in late July. At the time, he said he planned to retire and was hoping to spend more time with his family.

His sometimes controversial career in law enforcement spanned four decades. During that time he served as police chief in Toronto, London and York Region.

The riding of Vaughan has been held by Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua for more than two decades. But this summer he announced his intention to run for mayor of the city, making Vaughan a logical place for the Tories to drop in a star candidate.

The Progressive Conservative party of Ontario has also been courting Fantino to run provincially.

With files from The Canadian Press