Surrey police transition decision coming this week: B.C. government

It’s been a hotly debated topic south of the Fraser River for four years and we’re inching closer to finally getting a decision on who will police one of the fastest growing cities in the province.

By the end of the month, the B.C. government says it will make a decision between the Surrey Police Service (SPS) and the Surrey RCMP, with Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth set to make the final call this week.

“The Ministry continues its analysis which will inform the advice and recommendations from the Director of Police Services on the safety of the plans submitted by the City of Surrey, RCMP, and the Surrey Police Service. This analysis requires time to complete and is critical to our responsibility of maintaining public safety in Surrey, the wider region and across the province,” Farnworth’s office says in a statement to CityNews.

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“The policing transition in Surrey is unprecedented and complex and requires a full and in-depth analysis. This matter affects not only policing in Surrey, but across the province. The stability of policing is a provincial responsibility, and public safety in the City of Surrey and throughout British Columbia continues to be government’s core driving principle.”

The entire transition has not only been controversial — it has also been expensive.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has been adamant on stopping the transition and keeping the RCMP as the police of jurisdiction, as was her election campaign promise.

Earlier this month, Surrey city council approved a 12.5 per cent property tax hike to help pay for policing services. The initial proposal was for a 17.5 per cent increase but it was lowered after the city decided to use a $90 million provincial infrastructure fund to offset costs.

There are calls for #SurreyBC Mayor Brenda Locke to apologize following her most recent comments about policing in that city. There are accusations she didn't tell the truth. https://t.co/M0dnJ79bd8

— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) April 7, 2023

Surrey’s general manager of finance previously told CityNews the province’s delayed decision is costing the city $8 million per month but adds this year’s costs are “virtually identical,” whether the police of jurisdiction ends up being the Surrey RCMP or the SPS.

Last month, the premier also weighed in on all this saying, “Will a police officer show up to that 911 call? If the answer is yes and it’s a safe plan, the solicitor general can sign off on it.”

-With files from Liza Yuzda and James Paracy