Battle over Surrey police appears finally over as city, province ink deal

The City of Surrey and nan B.C. authorities person reached a multi-million dollar woody to thief offset nan costs of nan community’s modulation to a municipal constabulary force.

The agreement, announced Wednesday, could yet tie nan curtain connected an acrimonious and years-long governmental conflict betwixt nan 2 governments complete nan destiny of policing successful nan city.

Under nan deal, nan state will screen $150 cardinal successful modulation costs, $30 cardinal per year, to 2029. The state is promising up to different $100 million, $20 cardinal per year, if Surrey Police Services net costs apical what RCMP wages would person been betwixt 2029 and 2034.

The position of nan woody appear virtually identical to an statement Surrey rejected successful April. At nan clip nan state said it would still supply $150 cardinal regardless. Just complete a period later, nan metropolis lost its tribunal situation of nan constabulary transition.

In signing nan agreement, nan metropolis “fully supports nan transition,” agrees it won’t request a abstracted constabulary tax, and will supply space, backing and payroll for nan SPS according to a media merchandise from some governments.

“I look guardant to moving pinch nan politician and City of Surrey, nan Surrey Police Service and nan RCMP to complete this modulation arsenic quickly arsenic imaginable while ensuring information for Surrey residents,” Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, who has fought nan modulation since her predetermination successful 2022 connected a promise to support nan RCMP, said nan costs would thief trim its financial load connected taxpayers.

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“As we spell done this process, assembly will beryllium perpetually moving successful nan champion interests of Surrey taxpayers,” Locke said.

“City assembly afloat recognizes nan work of nan RCMP successful Surrey. We definitive our gratitude for everything Surrey RCMP has done to service and protect our organization for nan past 70 years pinch their exemplary service.”

The woody will spot Surrey’s constabulary committee reinstated by early 2025. The state suspended nan board’s members and replaced them pinch a typical typical successful 2023 amid discord complete nan transition.

Surrey is besides appointing 2 policing experts, erstwhile constabulary title commissioner Clayton Pecknold and retired RCMP superintendent and policing advisor Tonia Enger, to a associated implementation array on pinch representatives from nan state and some constabulary forces.

The SPS is slated to go Surrey’s constabulary of jurisdiction successful conscionable complete 5 months, connected Nov. 29.

The unit presently employs 431 sworn officers and unit and expects to person hired 526 officers by nan extremity of nan year, pinch a target of 2026 to complete nan transition.