Surrey RCMP’s top cop calls out mayor’s slate in latest police transition flare up

The officer in charge of the Surrey RCMP is accusing the city’s ruling slate of undermining public safety.

Asst. Commissioner Brian Edwards issued a statement on Sunday criticizing comments made by Safe Surrey Coalition about the effectiveness of RCMP officers versus the new Surrey Police Service members.

The civic political party is headed up by Mayor Doug McCallum, who promised to replace the RCMP as part of his 2018 election campaign.

Edwards suggests the Safe Surrey Coalition has been undermining public support in the Mounties by cherry-picking statistics.

“Recently, several communications have been released to the public, which I believe have been a deliberate attempt to undermine public safety in Surrey, by eroding public confidence in policing at the current time,” he said.

His statement came following a tweet from the Safe Surrey Coalition which suggests only six per cent of residents support the RCMP and “their cardboard cutouts,” which are used to deter speeders.

https://twitter.com/safesurrey2018/status/1462206558893330435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1462206558893330435%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fnews%2Fcanada%2Fbritish-columbia%2Fsurrey-police-service-rcmp-concerns-1.6257507

“Whether it is releasing inaccurate statistical data, or mocking current public safety initiatives, I will not allow harmful rhetoric, to jeopardize public safety,” Edwards said in the statement.

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But the coalition has issued its own statement saying that Edwards’ criticism should also be directed at those who have been attacking McCallum and his push to bring in a municipal police force.

The group claims the Mounties have spent thousands of dollars to undermine the authority of the municipal force.

This is the @safesurrey2018's official response to @SurreyRCMP Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards' statement released earlier today#SurreyBC #bcpoli @SurreyNowLeader @CKNW @GlobalBC @CBCVancouver @JanetBrown980 pic.twitter.com/kjXB60ehgf

— Safe Surrey Coalition (@safesurrey2018) November 21, 2021

“…Over three years of attacks and propaganda, Surrey R.C.M.P. Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards has remained silent. Surely the indignation that he has voices today equally applies to these groups’ organized efforts to destabilize & demoralize our city’s incoming police force,” the Surrey Surrey’s statement reads in part.

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The latest flare up comes just a week after an attempt to block the transition to the municipal force failed to pass through Elections BC.

Critics were trying to trigger a referendum but did not meet the requirements to do so. Many say they will take their next fight against the mayor in the next election, which is set for October 2022.

Officers with the Surrey Police Service began hitting the streets this month, and more will be added in stages, working with the RCMP through the police transition which is expected to be in full force by 2023.

With files from Paul James, Lisa Steacy, and Hana Mae Nassar