Surrey gets approval from B.C. government to set up local police board to replace RCMP
STUDYJOURNAL
Surrey: The Minister of qualified citizens. City Public Safety and Solicitor staff will be working diligently General, Mike Farnworth with the Province has reviewed the to put the Surrey Police report submitted by the Board in place. I look Provincial Municipal Policing forward to beginning Transition the work with my fellow Committee, and the City Board members to bring of Surrey has been given Surrey Police to full operational approval to proceed with strength.” the formation of Surrey Mike Farnworth, Minister Police Department. of Public Safety and “In just over one year, Solicitor General said, we moved from a unanimous has granted approval to council motion to create a municipal police full reality on our promise board for the City of Surrey to deliver to the citizens - the next stage in the of Surrey a city police plan to transition from department,” said the RCMP to a municipal Mayor Doug Mccallum. police department. “With Minister Farnworth’s He said, “having considered final approval to the Provincial Municipal establish the Surrey Police Policing Transition Board, today marks Study Committee’s day one for the Surrey Police Department.”
With a population of nearly 600,000, Surrey is the only major city in the country without its own city police department. “The time has come, and some would say it’s been long overdue, for Surrey to have a police force of its own where accountability begins and stays within our city,” said Mayor Mccallum. “Local responsibility, priorities and oversight will reside within the Surrey Police Board, which will be comprised of our most report, as well as the recommendation of the director of police services, in line with section 3 of the Police Act, the minister is confident that the key aspects of the transition plan that required more detail have been thoroughly considered.”
“Chaired by Wally Oppal, the Provincial Municipal Policing Transition Study Committee included representatives from the City of Surrey, the ministry and independent consultants with specialized expertise.