Date set for Surrey Police Service to take over from RCMP: Farnworth
A date has been set for the Surrey Police Service to replace the RCMP and become the police of jurisdiction in B.C.'s fastest-growing city.
The SPS will take over on Nov. 29, 2024, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced Tuesday.
"We have reached a major milestone in this transition journey," he said at a news conference.
"More than anything, the people of Surrey want this to be over. Today we are turning the page on this chapter."
The date does not mean the transition will be complete – finalizing it is a process Farnworth estimated will take at least two years. The SPS and the RCMP will continue work side by side, as they have been throughout the transition. As new SPS officers are hired, Mounties will be redeployed.
"The agreed upon pathway is consistent with the existing legislative framework and can occur in a way that will not require RCMP to delegate their authority or be under the command of another agency," Farnworth said. "Rather, the two police agencies will work together under a collaborative arrangement."
Tuesday's announcement is the latest development in the years-long fight over who will police the city and Farnworth urged any leery observers to take note of the fact that he was flanked by the heads of both police agencies.
"Has it taken time to get to where we are? Yes, in part, because the city of Surrey has refused to be at the table. But the reality is, we are moving this transition forward," he said.
"We're all here, which tells you that we're all on the same page in moving the transition forward," he said.
Mayor Brenda Locke campaigned on keeping RCMP and the City of Surrey has taken the fight to court, seeking a judicial review of the province's moves to advance the transition.
She did not make herself available for an interview Tuesday, instead releasing a statement making it clear that her position on the matter and her plans remain the same.
"Aside from setting an aspirational date, nothing else has changed. Minister Farnworth’s 'announcement' today is simply another desperate attempt by the province to demonstrate some kind of progress on this issue, mere days before the matter is heard in court," she said.
Locke also maintained that no "substantial" progress has been made since the transition began five years ago and that replacing the RCMP is something that is neither fiscally responsible nor in the interest of public safety in the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
Woman shot by B.C. police was Colombian refugee with young daughter, advocate says
Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Video released of person of interest after cat is allegedly set on fire in Orillia, Ont.
Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.