Surrey mayor outlines plan to make final decision on policing

Mayor Brenda Locke is outlining Surrey’s next steps in deciding who will police the city going forward.

It comes days after Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth issued a strong recommendation for Surrey to continue the transition from RCMP to a municipal force.

B.C.’s director of police services, Glen Lewis, spent months analyzing both the Surrey Police Service’s plan to continue the transition and the city’s plan to reverse it and keep the RCMP.

Lewis found the city’s plan was not safe and presents critical risks to maintaining adequate policing levels in both Surrey and across B.C.

That’s because there are not enough Mounties to go around, with 1,500 soft and hard vacancies in the province.

Farnworth endorsed the report, urging the city to move forward with the SPS.

However, the minister's decision is only a recommendation, it’s not binding.

Hours after he announced his position, Locke held a press conference of her own, saying she would continue with her plans to retain the RCMP.

If the city wants to keep the Mounties, it does need to meet several binding conditions.

The most challenging—a re-staffing plan that does not prioritize Surrey RCMP hiring over the other Mountie vacancies across the province.

At Monday night’s council meeting, Locke said she directed staff to conduct a thorough analysis of the province’s report, including all aspects of the minister's recommendations.

“While the review process will understandably take some time, staff are working through it as efficiently as possible,” said Locke.

Safe Surrey Coalition councillor Doug Elford said he was pleased with the province’s recommendation.

“Money was always a big issue. That was the kicker point, and the fact that the province has offered financial incentive to move forward, I think it swayed a lot of people's positions on this. Because if we carry on with the RCMP, it's just going to cost taxpayers more money,” he told CTV News.

City staff’s analysis of the report will likely take several more weeks to complete.

“The report will be brought back to council in the near future for its careful consideration. In the meantime, we will continue with the important work of the city. As always, public safety for the citizens of Surrey is first and foremost for every one of us on council,” said Locke.

Elford says council has a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers.

Locke’s Surrey Connect majority on council voted to keep the Mounties back in December.

“When the mayor speaks, she's speaking for herself, not all of council. She's only one vote and, in light of the recent developments, I think that some of my colleagues should really reconsider what position they've taken on this,” said Elford.

Previously city staff had said it would be cheaper to stay with the RCMP, however the province is now offering financial incentives to move forward with the Surrey Police Service.

The SPS͛ plan to staff 734 officers will cost the city approximately $30 million more annually than the RCMP.

However, Farnworth says the province will provide financial aid to ensure taxpayers don’t bear the burden of that cost.

If the city keeps the RCMP, taxpayers will only be on the hook for SPS severance costs of $72 million.

“The bottom line is that moving back to the RCMP is not a feasible option and so I would not support a referendum,” said Elford.

While there is still a lot of division, it appears all sides agree that a final decision needs to come in the near future.

“One of the key features of my conversation with the mayor…is that we need to get closure on this as quickly as possible. The people of Surrey need clarity about direction. It’s in my interest—this has gone on too long—it’s hers as well, I think she’s of the same opinion,” said Premier David Eby.

The province has not given the city a hard deadline as to when it must reach a decision on how to move forward.

In the meantime, paying for both the RCMP and the SPS is costing taxpayers millions of dollars each month.

 

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Lauren Pullen and Mary Cranston