A Surrey city councillor says it's time for residents to decide if they want their own police department.
Councillor Tom Gill says he'll introduce a motion next week calling on staff to plan for a review of policing options, including the return of a civic police force similar to those in 12 B.C. cities including Vancouver, Victoria, Abbotsford and Nelson.
Following extensive consultation Gill says a municipal referendum could be held on the question sometime next year.
Currently, policing in Surrey is provided by 835 Mounties, making the Surrey detachment the largest municipal RCMP force in the country – but Gill wonders if Surrey has “outgrown” the RCMP and would be served more cost-effectively by a made-in-Surrey police detachment.
