After months of political back and forth, the fate of the police in Surrey has finally been decided.
The Surrey Police Service (SPS) or the Surrey RCMP? That’s what residents of the City of Surrey have been dying to learn, and today, Mike Farnworth, the minister of public safety and solicitor general, said that the Surrey Police Service is the force that Surrey must go with.
This follows a previous announcement from Farnworth, which led to a recommendation that Surrey move forward with the SPS instead of the RCMP, but that was not a binding decision.
Today, Farnworth stated that the “city has failed to meet the requirements I placed to prevent a situation where there are not enough police officers to keep people safe in Surrey.”
“͞We cannot allow people in Surrey or in other communities to be put at risk. British Columbians need to know that when they call the police, help will come ʹand people in Surrey want this uncertainty over who will police their city to end, and to know that they will be safe in their community.”
A release from the ministry says that the SPS is now the second largest municipal department in BC, after the VPD, with 400 sworn officers and support staff.
Ever since Brenda Locke became the mayor of Surrey in October of last year, dethroning former Mayor Doug McCallum, one of her main objectives has been restoring the RCMP in Surrey.
I’m happy to report that re-staffing the Surrey RCMP to full strength is ahead of schedule.
Surrey RCMP is a valuable partner in more than 30 key community programs. I thank the RCMP for focusing so strongly on the needs of our community and made-in-Surrey solutions. pic.twitter.com/hFh9rWVMIT
— Office of the Mayor (@SurreyMayor) July 18, 2023
After many months of news releases from Locke’s office and the SPS, Surrey residents can finally rest knowing that all the political bickering is over.
In response to the news, Locke sounds defiant.
“In the coming days, I will be meeting with my Council colleagues and City Staff to explore our options. I will also be asking for a face-to-face meeting with the Minister to understand how he intends to compensate the significant tax burden that will be placed on Surrey residents and businesses as a result of his decision to continue with the Surrey Police Service,” she said in a news release.
Linda Annis, a Surrey councillor who has been vocal on this issue, is relieved.
“It’s now time to move on and get past the emotion and arguments of the past five years,” Annis said.
“We need to put the past in the rearview mirror and get on with completing the transition to the Surrey Police Service and making the SPS the very best police department in the province,” she added.
As part of this move, the province has recommitted to providing Surrey with $150 million to help offset the costs of moving forward with the SPS so that “costs are not passed on to residents and businesses.”
“Further, this summer the minister will begin consultation on legislation being
considered for the fall to ensure that this type of situation never happens again.”
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