Surrey RCMP’s top cop to leave for post with provincial Mounties

Surrey’s top cop is leaving for a new role with the provincial RCMP.

Asst. Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, officer-in-charge of the Surrey RCMP, will head up the RCMP’s criminal operations unit, overseeing federal investigations and organized crime in B.C. The role was recently vacated by the retirement of Asst. Commissioner Kevin Hackett.

In his new role, McDonald will continue to work alongside the Surrey RCMP and other communities across B.C. to investigate financial and cyber crime, money laundering, national security, major crime and gangs.

“While I look forward to taking on this challenging and exciting new portfolio, I must admit this was not an easy decision for me to make,” McDonald said in a statement. “My past three years as the officer in charge of the Surrey

detachment have been the most interesting and engaging in my career.”

Surrey’s policing has been a hot topic in recent months, with Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum promising to bring in a municipal police force to replace the RCMP, citing increased gang activity in Surrey.

In his statement, McDonald assured citizens and the RCMP team that his departure wasn’t indicative of what’s to come in Surrey’s policing transition plan.

“As it stands right now, the City of Surrey’s contract for RCMP policing services has not been terminated,”

his statement read. “The province of B.C. has put in place a robust and objective process to study the City of Surrey’s proposal for a municipal police force, and I am confident that their decision on this matter will be fully informed.”

Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan, head of the B.C. RCMP, said a replacement was being actively sought to fill McDonald’s role, and that there would be minimal disruption to the force and community members.