Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has again pledged to keep the RCMP in Surrey.
That revelation from Locke came within hours after the BC Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth recommended that the City of Surrey continue transitioning to the municipal Surrey Police Service instead of reverting to the RCMP.
At a press conference on Friday morning, Locke told reporters that BC’s announcement was “disgraceful.”
Earlier on Friday morning, Farnworth noted that Surrey would receive financial assistance in funding for public safety on the condition that it continue with the transition to the Surrey Police Service and not stick with the RCMP.
Locke called that aspect of BC’s recommendation “suspect” and said its report was “half-baked” and a “non-decision.”
Keeping in the RCMP in Surrey was one of Locke’s key campaign promises ahead of winning the Surrey civic election last October, beating out former mayor Doug McCallum, who was the man behind the vision of a municipal police force in Surrey.
Surrey councillor Linda Annis said she was frustrated by BC’s recommendation because it wasn’t a firm decision, forcing the City to make a final decision again.
“I’ve always believed that the choice of police departments is too big, too costly, and too fundamental to be decided by city council alone. Surrey residents have been ignored and sidelined on this issue for five years. Now, they should be given the facts and the options and allowed to have the final say, rather than nine people on city council.”
She added that she would’ve preferred a firm decision one way or the other.
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