Surrey’s mayor not sold on regional policing
Posted January 22, 2013 11:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
LOWER MAINLAND (NEWS1130) – Vancouver’s police chief thinks a regional police force is a good idea, but one of the most popular mayors in the Lower Mainland isn’t sold.
Dianne Watts of Surrey thinks a two-tiered system works better.
“A total regional force would pull all of the officers out of all of the communities and they would be dispatched throughout the entire Lower Mainland,” argues Watts.
“Every community is different. We have a very young community and a very diverse community and we need people on the ground who understand what that means.”
Watts adds she supports regional forces sharing resources with the RCMP, much like what we see with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
“Gang activity, homicides and all of those things should be regional in nature because, as we’ve seen throughout the Lower Mainland, gang activity happens everywhere,” says Watts. “There has to be a coordinated effort at the regional level and an over arching governance model where everyone is held to account.”
In a report going to the Vancouver Police Board today, Chief Jim Chu supports a regional force. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson also supports the idea.
Regional policing was one of the recommendations to come out of the Missing Women Inquiry after it was determined serial killer Robert Pickton could have been caught sooner if there was better communication between the RCMP and municipal forces.
