RCMP or Surrey Police Service? Council set to vote on city’s policing future

SURREY, B.C. -

The divisive topic of policing in Surrey is on the agenda once again at City Hall Monday, with councillors being asked to consider two potential paths forward.

City staff are set to present an 8-page report outlining the options: continuing with the transition to the municipal Surrey Police Service; or halting the transition and reverting back to the federally-run RCMP.

“The vote tonight is a framework to move forward,” said Brenda Locke, Surrey’s newly elected mayor who campaigned to keep the RCMP and put a stop to the transition former mayor Doug McCallum initiated four years ago.

The Surrey Police Board's executive director, Melissa Granum, says the report doesn’t tell the whole story when it comes to costs and staffing.

“Some elements of the report are inaccurate,” she said.

“The report was written by City of Surrey staff and SPS nor the board were collaborated on. We were not asked to offer any input or information on the transition of where we are to date.”

Kash Heed, the province's former solicitor general and a former West Vancouver police chief agrees that the report is not thorough enough. 

“It’s missing a lot of information,” he said 

“I cannot see the people that govern the city of Surrey making a decision based on that corporate report.”

Granum adds that reversing the decision would result in a loss of investment for taxpayers in excess of $188 million.

Locke, however, isn’t backing down.

“I’m not concerned with anything the police union says,” said Locke. “Right now the Surrey Police Service have proven they can’t do the job for the city of Surrey.”

Coun. Linda Annis, who was a vocal critic of the police transition during McCallum's tenure, says she is in favour of a third option – letting the people of Surrey decide.

“We need to have a referendum on policing in Surrey,” said Annis. “This has been a very divisive issue.”

Locke and Granum, however, seem to agree that a referendum isn’t the best solution.

“It would take too long,” said Granum. “We have both the RCMP staff and SPS staff who are waiting for a decision from government.”

Any changes to Surrey’s current policing structure will require provincial government approval and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth has said the city can decide to change course. Locke says voting on this report is the first step in that process.

“We are doing exactly what Mr. Farnworth asked us to do, so that’s what we’re moving forward with,” said Locke.

Many SPS officers have signed a pledge stating they won’t work for the RCMP, raising questions on how the RCMP will find enough staff.

Locke says after Monday's vote, a more detailed report will be provided to the public and provincial government on Nov. 28.