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'A deliberate attempt to undermine public safety': Surrey's top Mountie calls out mayor's party for social media post

A Surrey Police Service cruiser is shown in an image from the SPS. A Surrey Police Service cruiser is shown in an image from the SPS.
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VANCOUVER -

The top Mountie in the city of Surrey, B.C., is accusing local leaders of what he calls a "deliberate attempt to undermine public safety."

Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards issued the statement Sunday, noting it's an issue he's raised with the commanding officer of the B.C. RCMP and the mayor of Surrey. He said he'll now be going to the provincial government with his concerns.

A formal agreement is pending, but the transition from an RCMP detachment to a municipal police force is scheduled to take another step next week. On Nov. 30, members of the newly formed Surrey Police Service will be deployed along with the Surrey RCMP.

Mounties will remain in charge of the jurisdiction at this stage, but the SPS will take over when ready.

Although the rollout will begin soon, the Safe Surrey Coalition continues to post content on social media about support for the transition away from the RCMP.

Edwards, officer-in-charge of the Surrey RCMP, said he feels "several" recently released communications have been what he describes as "a deliberate attempt to undermine public safety in Surrey, by eroding public confidence in policing at the current time" – meaning eroding confidence in the RCMP.

"Whether it is releasing inaccurate statistical data, or mocking current public safety initiatives, I will not allow harmful rhetoric to jeopardize public safety," Edwards said.

"I will not tolerate efforts to undermine confidence in policing in this city and disrespect to our members while I am in charge."

Edwards did not cite a specific statement or social media post, but the scathing email followed a post on Twitter by the Safe Surrey Coalition saying, "It's time to move forward."

The post claimed a survey showed "only 6% of Surrey, B.C., residents support Surrey RCMP and their cardboard cutout."

RCMP detachments have often used cutouts, designed to appear from a distance to drivers as police officers holding radar guns, in speed-related crackdowns in Metro Vancouver.

The post calls RCMP supporters "bitter," and describes Surrey residents as being "anxious for a local, accountable and responsive police force."

Coming from Surrey's ruling slate, led by Mayor Doug McCallum, this appears to be one of the communications Edwards finds fault with.

In a response to Edwards' statement, the party alleged that "hundreds of thousands of dollars" have been spent since the vote to cancel the RCMP contract on efforts meant to undermine the SPS.

The party blamed members of the National Policing Federation and two grassroots movements: the Keep the RCMP in Surrey group and the Surrey Police Vote petition.

"Yet for this duration of over three years of attacks and propaganda, Surrey RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards has remained silent. Surely the indignation that he has voiced today equally applies to these groups' organized efforts to destabilize and demoralize our city's incoming police force," the coalition wrote in an unsigned release.

It called on Edwards and other members of the RCMP to join the party in making sure the transition is smooth.

Edwards, in his statement, said his officers have his full support, and that the RCMP detachment will maintain its leadership role "of providing stability and safety in Surrey."

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