Tuesday April 9, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated April 10, 2024]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The City of Surrey has a policing issue. Well, it’s more of a political issue.
Mayor Brenda Locke has led her council with most wanting to retain the federally-supplied RCMP policing service. BC Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth has been trying to steer the city to having a Surrey Police force, in support of a process that was already underway last year.
Today Farnworth says that Locke wants to “continue the conflict” and “drag this out for years to come”. “Mayor and Council chose devisiveness and uncertainty,” said Farnworth today.
“I’m not sure what her motives are in wanting to drag this out,” said Farnworth today.
Transition costs have been a been issue — a matter of debate and pocketbook.
Today Surrey has rejected BC’s latest offer of financial assistance, worth up to $250 million over 10 years ($150 million plus up to $100 million in associated costs), said Farnworth in a statement released at 3:10 pm.
There is also consideration (by the province) of recognizing the challenge that fewer RCMP officers are being trained than use to be the case.
Farnworth has often said that people who expected response to a 911 call or other policing services aren’t really concerned whether it’s RCMP or municipal police who show up. But the back-and-forth of the transition decision-making (largely driven by entrenchment by Surrey’s mayor) is costing money and producing frustration.
“There would be no police-related tax increases in Surrey for 10 years,” says Farnworth about the first provincial offer.
“The people of Surrey want an end to this,” said Farnworth in his media availability called same-day today for 4:15 pm. “The transition is underway and will continue,” said Farnworth. He said that the province is confident that the process will now be successful.
The $150 million has been rejected by the City. So now it will go directly to the transition, said Farnworth today. More details to come next week, he said, including details about “change of command”.
The Surrey Police Board was replaced by the Province a few months ago with an administrator. His Ministry has offered to Surrey that they ask cabinet to “reinstate the Surrey Police Bard by June 1, 2024 and consult with the city on potential appointees”.
BC United comment:
The BC United Party (formerly BC Liberals) have reposted the Surrey mayor’s April 9 comments about the entire situation.
BCUP spokesperson Elenore Sturko says that the update from Surrey’s mayor “confirms that despite having green-lit the policing transition in 2019”, that the premier and public safety minister have “failed to develop a plan or policing model, a transition plan, or a completion date for the transition”.
It would be the province’s position that they were giving room for the municipality to deal with something they had prompted themselves.
