Surrey police decision draws mixed reaction
Posted July 19, 2023 2:38 pm.
Last Updated July 19, 2023 10:00 pm.
Following the B.C. public safety minister’s decision to move forward with a municipal police force in Surrey, the choice is sparking mixed reactions among residents and politicians alike.
The transition from the Surrey RCMP to the Surrey Police Service (SPS) has been rife with controversy for years and continues to be a hot topic of debate.
Read more: B.C. chooses Surrey Police Service, plans to bring in legislation to avoid future controversy
But one Surrey city councillor says it’s time for people to accept Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth’s decision.
“I think it’s really time now for council and the residents of Surrey to get behind the minister’s decision and move forward. We’ve been dealing with this now for five years, and it’s time that we put it aside and get our police force moving in the direction of the Surrey Police Service,” Coun. Linda Annis said.
She adds that taxpayers shouldn’t bear the brunt of the transition back to the civic force, and money from the province should cover the expenses.
“Minister Farnworth has said that he will give us the $150 million that he promised us previously, that will cover the shortfalls of the transition so that there shouldn’t be any incremental cost to the taxpayer for, specifically, the transition — which I think is good news for Surrey residents.
The majority of Surrey councillors voted in June to keep the RCMP, despite the transition to the SPS already well underway.
Now, Annis says it’s time to start looking at other topics.
“It’s very important we get behind the decision,” she said. “It has been hugely divisive, not just for this council but for the previous council, and it’s time that we get focused on other things other than just policing. Policing is obviously very important here in Surrey, we’re very much aware of the need for good public safety, and I think it’s incumbent on each and every one of us at council to get behind this decision — whether we previously supported it or not.”
‘Absolutely disgusted’: Keep the Surrey in RCMP reacts
Ivan Scott, the leader of the Keep the RCMP in Surrey campaign, says he is furious with the decision.
“I believe that this is a political decision by him, (Farnworth) and has got nothing to do with the democratic rights of the citizens of Surrey, and it’s for his own saving of face, and I’m absolutely disgusted by it,” Scott said.
Scott has been a longtime advocate of keeping the RCMP in the city and says although he wasn’t wholly surprised at the decision he is upset by it.
“Public safety is a very big myriad of stuff and it’s [indicating] that the RCMP is not capable of maintaining public safety in Surrey whenever they are obliged to do — then he’s absolutely out to lunch,” he told CityNews.
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In the announcement of the decision, Farnworth said that the transition was made to help keep residents safe.
“We cannot allow people in Surrey or in other communities to be put at risk. British Columbians need to know that when they call the police, help will come — and people in Surrey want this uncertainty over who will police their city to end, and to know that they will be safe in their community,” Farnworth said Wednesday.
Scott maintains that there is “no reason” for him to accept the SPS as the police of jurisdiction.
“I’m so disappointed in the way that this whole thing has come down and the total disregard by the provincial government to what the citizens of Surrey have said three times in the municipal elections,” he said.
The RCMP has a ‘proven track record,’ SBoT weighs in
Jasroop Gosal, the policy and research manager with the Surrey Board of Trade (SBoT), says the group is also disappointed with the decision.
“The RCMP, we believe, has implemented many policies and procedures that ensure effective policing in Surrey. We know that they have worked with the community, with the business organizations, and with the city to ensure that the public is safe and policed effectively,” he told CityNews.
“We know that there’s, at this point in time, no real evidence that a new police force won’t impact business taxation, as it’s always businesses that bear the brunt of increased taxes. And this new police force will also be brand new, it will require all infrastructure and ciliary support infrastructure, and that will take time and be quite costly as well.”
He adds that the SBoT “has always held the position that the RCMP is the best force for the City of Surrey.”
“It’s a proven track record and so our vision has always been RCMP with enhanced wraparound support services. That includes mental health support, addiction support,” he said.
Former Surrey mayor pleased with transition decision
Former Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum — who first put forward a motion back in 2018 to establish the SPS — says the decision “is the best choice for public safety.”
“For the past five years, the citizens of Surrey have been eagerly anticipating the establishment of the Surrey Police Service. Today’s decision by the Province reaffirms that this is the best choice for public safety in our city, and it marks a momentous occasion,” he said in a statement.
Doug McCallum at a press conference on Wednesday July 19th, 2023. (OMNI / CityNews Image)
“This decision fulfills a key platform promise made by the Safe Surrey Coalition during the 2018 elections, demonstrating their commitment to delivering on the mandate entrusted to them by the citizens of Surrey.”
Surrey Coun. Doug Elford with the Safe Surrey Coalition adds that the decision “allows us to move forward” and “heal any divisions.”
The current mayor, however, is less than pleased with the results.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke released a statement on her disappointment about the decision, calling it “misguided” and based on “inaccurate assumptions.”
Meanwhile, Ryan Buhrig with the Surrey Police Union Buhrig said the union was unsurprisingly pleased with the choice.
“This decision brings confidence and stability to our officers who have committed their careers to Surrey. It’s been a long time coming. It’s with great relief that we can now put the uncertainty surrounding policing behind us and focus on what really matters: public safety and moving the city forward,” he explained.
Over in Vancouver, the city’s mayor is also chiming in on the decision saying, “It’s time to move forward on policing in the Lower Mainland.”
We appreciate the Minister for bringing this matter to a close and hope to work collaboratively with Mayor Locke and the SPS to address public safety challenges facing the region. pic.twitter.com/72Mr9w3xBn
— Mayor Ken Sim (@KenSimCity) July 19, 2023
“We hope to work collaboratively with Mayor Locke and the Surrey Police Service to address the pressing public safety challenges facing the Lower Mainland,” Ken Sim said in a statement.
Although some have speculated that this may not be the end to the long policing saga, Farnworth was adamant his decision “was the final decision.”
With files from Hana Mae Nassar
