The proposed Surrey Police Department would have 805 members, according to a newly released report detailing the city's transition plans – but is that an increase or a decrease over the current RCMP staffing?
City councillors approved the transition report earlier this year behind closed doors, and made it public Monday afternoon amid growing calls for transparency in the process.
Under the plan, Surrey's municipal force would "go live" on April 1, 2021, with an estimated annual budget of $192.5 million, 10.9 per cent higher than the RCMP's projected operating costs for that year.
But it appears the Surrey Police Department would employ 38 fewer sworn officers – at least compared to the 843 that have reportedly been working at the Surrey RCMP since last year.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Mayor Doug McCallum suggested the 805 figure would actually represent an increase, citing a section of the report indicating there are only 792 officers working in Surrey.
"There's a figure that's been out there that has indicated that we have 843 officers. That is not true," McCallum said. "The current number of officers that are operating in RCMP in Surrey is 792. Those are the only ones that have been funded by previous councils as far as their budget's concerned."
But the Surrey RCMP detachment confirmed it does indeed have 843 active police officers, with some positions funded by the federal government.
The 51-officer discrepancy between Surrey RCMP's 843 members and the 792 cited in the report might be explained by temporary vacancies at the detachment, including Mounties on sick leave and maternity leave. Sturko said those positions are covered by outside RCMP officers.
"We run a full complement," she said. "We don't have 51 empty chairs or empty police cars or anything like that."
Asked about the discrepancy in overall staffing numbers, McCallum told reporters he "can only go by what's in the report."
"I believe what the report says," he said.
Coun. Linda Annis said she believes the RCMP, and suggested a decrease in officers would be a disservice to the city's residents.
"How can having fewer officers make our city safer, when what we need are 300 new officers, if you do a side-by-side comparison of Vancouver and Surrey," Annis said in a statement.
"The report is a major disappointment and its approach to policing in our community and neighbourhoods only hurts public safety."
Making staffing numbers a little more complicated, Surrey RCMP also provides 58 of its members to five regional agencies, including the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, the Emergency Response Team, and the Police Dog Service. Sturko noted all the units serve the Surrey community.
Surrey's transition report also recommends that the Surrey Police Department continue relying on all five of the same agencies. It's unclear whether the force would also need to put up 58 of its 805 members to do so.
The plans promise a 29 per cent increase in school liaison and youth officers as well.
The report cites the RCMP's projected $173.6 million in annual operating costs for 2021 for its budget comparison. McCallum said if the RCMP becomes unionized, there might not be an increase at all.
"If in fact it happens … there will be no increase in costs as compared to what the RCMP costs," McCallum said.
In addition, the report estimates between 2019 and 2022, Surrey will spend $11.8 million on recruiting and equipping new staff, $7.6 million on IT systems and facilities, and $400,000 transitioning vehicles.
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