What's next for policing in Surrey? New mayor wants to keep RCMP
With Brenda Locke unseating incumbent Doug McCallum for mayor of Surrey in Saturday’s election, the future of policing in the Metro Vancouver city has been called into question.
Under Doug McCallum, Surrey was moving to replace the Surrey RCMP with a municipal police force — the Surrey Police Service.
Surrey was the largest city in Canada without its own municipal police service, and the SPS says a community-based service is more accountable and more responsive compared to contracting the RCMP.
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The SPS already has more than 300 employees, and its officers have been deployed within the Surrey RCMP (which remain the police of jurisdiction in Surrey) until the formal transition. That date had not yet been decided, and now Locke’s election brings into question whether it will happen at all.
Locke campaigned on a promise to keep the RCMP in Surrey, but it remains to be seen whether all the logistical work of the transition can be reversed.
Locke’s party, Surrrey Connect, suggests keeping the RCMP could save taxpayers $520 million over the next four years.
Sticking with RCMP would save taxpayers $520M over next 4 years, Surrey Connect claims – Surrey Now-Leader. This is why Richmond and Red Deer said NO WAY. The SPS will cost taxpayers hundreds. @keep_rcmp #electconnect https://t.co/vLFK4Pip7B
— Brenda Locke (@brendalockebc) September 24, 2022
The Surrey Police Service Board, however, appears certain the transition will take place. It congratulated Locke on her win Sunday, saying it looks forward to providing the new mayor with a full briefing on the status of the transition process that’s been overseen by all three levels of government.
“The Board is confident that the smooth transition to a municipal police service in Surrey will continue,” executive director Melissa Granum said in a statement.
The Surrey Police Board looks forward to bringing Chair Locke up to date on the status of @surreyps. We’re confident in the progress we’ve made, the people we have on our team and the future of public safety in Surrey.
Welcome, Chair Locke
Read more here: https://t.co/Dtu2k9lGxt pic.twitter.com/ZwidI991fd— Surrey Police Board (@SPSBoard) October 16, 2022
Daily Hive has also reached out to Surrey RCMP and BC’s Ministry of Public Safety for insight into what could happen, and will update this story when responses are received.
What will happen to the 350 employees of SPS if Surrey ends up sticking with the RCMP? One Twitter user suggested they apply in Vancouver — where that city’s mayor-elect Ken Sim has promised to hire 100 new officers.
Everyone wondering where Ken Sim is going to get those 100 new Police Officers?
One word: Surrey
— Anthony 🏳️🌈 (@eastsidedads) October 16, 2022
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