Surrey seeks to hire 47 more Mounties

More front- line offi cers needed to increase police- to- population ratio

Surrey council’s police committee has endorsed a request by the city’s RCMP chief for 47 more officers in the hope that increased staffing will help police prevent crime.

RCMP Chief Supt. Bill Fordy asked for the additional front- line officers after two studies examining policing in Surrey found that even though crime rates are dropping, the department is understaffed.

An analysis by the B. C. Ministry of Justice noted Surrey has the third lowest police- to- population ratio of 11 major B. C. cities ( only Burnaby and Richmond were lower), coupled with a higher- than- average case burden.

“It is clear based on a variety of measures, such as the cop- to- pop ratio, the workload of members, the volume of serious and violent crimes, the quantity of calls for service and the ability of the detachment to be more proactive than reactive, that additional members for ( general duty) are required,” said a report compiled by four authors at the University of the Fraser Valley.

The report noted that crime rates in the city dropped 11 per cent between 2009 and 2013, citing Statistics Canada figures.

Another analysis by the B. C. Ministry of Justice found that instances of all categories of crime in the city dropped between 2008 and 2012 despite an 11- per- cent increase in population over the same time period.

Fordy said Tuesday he is “very pleased” with the endorsement.

“While we wait for the staffing process to take its course, Surrey RCMP will continue their efforts to reduce and prevent crime in Surrey,” he said. “Residents of Surrey can be assured that we are constantly evaluating policing priorities and reallocating resources to respond to the changing policing needs of the city to ensure that Surrey residents are safe.”

In addition to hiring general duty officers, Fordy said the detachment will also be reviewing its staffing needs in traffic services, youth section and investigative services.

Surrey general duty officers spend more than half their time responding to calls for service, according to another report by police management consultant Peter Bellmio.

“That is a very high percentage for a municipal patrol force. The result is that policing with this staffing level is more reactive rather than proactive because ( general duty constables) spend most of their time handling calls and conducting followup investigations related to reported crimes,” Bellmio wrote. This takes away from the time officers could spend in neighbourhoods, building community partnerships and coming up with strategies to deal with emerging problems, he said.

Mayor Dianne Watts said the call for additional officers sends a strong message about her commitment to effect a “long- term and permanent change in crime reduction in Surrey.”

But while the committee has endorsed the request, Coun. Barinder Rasode has concerns about whether the hirings will actually take place.

“We have not maintained police resources with our growth,” said Rasode in an interview after the meeting adjourned.

“Over 1,000 people are moving here a month. But I’m pleased to see council has responded.”

Crime has emerged as a significant issue in the municipal election, with 55 per cent of Surrey residents identifying it as the most important issue facing the city, according to an Insights West poll released Tuesday.

Coun. Barbara Steele stated that many Surrey highrises are neighbourhoods unto themselves, and that it was important to note that RCMP “have made strong inroads with property managers” in tackling crime.

“It’s been quite remarkable,” she said.

Concerns were also raised during the meeting about the amount of time officers spend on false 911 calls.

Coun. Linda Hepner, another mayoral candidate, said she was shocked that 92 per cent of all alarm calls were false and that only two per cent required police assistance.

“That speaks volumes of the amount of work officers are doing that isn’t required.”

The police committee also heard how the city’s High Risk Location initiative, which was initiated in November as a way to maximize the impact of enforcement at high- risk locations, has resulted in 545 arrests, 114 problem unregulated recovery homes closed and 11 locations demolished or awaiting demolition.