Surrey council moving ahead with plan to keep RCMP

The RCMP is one step closer to remaining the policing body for the City of Surrey following a council vote on Monday.

Surrey Council voted to endorse an option presented in a corporate report that the RCMP remain as the police of jurisdiction for the city.

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As a result of the vote, city staff will be directed to prepare a plan that will be sent to the provincial government on keeping the Mounties in the city. Staff will also be directed to send a letter to the Surrey Police Board requesting it pause all new hires and expenditures.

Councillor Linda Annis proposed a motion to hold a referendum to allow the public to decide on which policing body should preside over the city. Councillors Mandeep Nagra and Mike Bose both supported the vote, saying council and the public should have one more chance to look over the numbers.

However, the motion for the referendum was denied by councillors and Mayor Brenda Locke, who said the numbers have been available for years.

Keeping the RCMP in Surrey was a key election promise for Locke and fellow councillors during their campaigns against former mayor Doug McCallum.

In the hours leading up to Monday’s meeting, the Surrey Police Service sent out a statement citing “misinformation” in the corporate report to council.

Surrey Police Chief Norm Lipinksi says it would be difficult to dissolve the growing municipal force, estimating it could cost as much as $188 million to end the transition.

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The B.C. government approved Surrey’s police transition request in February 2020. That came after the city moved to terminate its agreement with the RCMP to police Surrey under then-Mayor Doug McCallum, who was defeated by Locke in the municipal election last month.