Referendum struck down as Surrey moves ahead to dismantle police service
The RCMP should stay in Surrey.
That was the takeaway message after a several-hours-long council meeting Monday night in Surrey, where the option to continue along the path to a municipal force was voted down.
Council was given a report from staff to review two options: either keep transitioning to the Surrey Police Service or maintain the RCMP as the Police of Jurisdiction.
Mayor Brenda Locke and her party Surrey Connect voted in favour of the latter, and with a majority on council, that option is now going ahead.
Staff is now directed to prepare a plan to be endorsed by Council which would be forwarded to Mike Farnworth, the minister of public safety and solicitor general, for approval.
“This option would further direct staff to issue a letter on behalf of Council to the Surrey Police Board to pause all new hiring and expenditures pending further Council direction,” the meeting document reads in part.
There are already 315 Surrey Police Service officers on the force, making up about 43% of the “targeted strength” according to the SPS.
The service also claims that $188 million has been already spent on the transition, according to figures released ahead of the council vote.
Locke campaigned on the promise to keep the RCMP in Surrey and won in October against former mayor Doug McCallum. She got 28% of the vote and he received 27%.
Councillor Linda Annis was successful in getting an amendment added to the meeting to suggest that the decision over policing be put to a referendum, but her bid was denied.