An angry Surrey mayor Brenda Locke called provincial Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth a bully over playing games with the already decided police transition back to Surrey RCMP, which the council voted on last week. Farnworth put out a “threatening” press release Monday morning, claiming that he didn’t receive the City of Surrey Corporate Report outlining the transition plan and that if he didn’t receive the report by 1pm Monday, he will be forced to do something which presumably would be something other than what Surrey council already decided last Thursday in a vote, which was to keep the RCMP. But Locke fired back that it was Farnworth playing games as none of persons on his list to receive the Corporate Report had sent back Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) as required by Surrey to receive the report. She further advised Farnworth that the Police Act is clear, Surrey Council decides on its municipal police force. “Surrey has. There is no public safety crisis in Surrey, and the path the City has chosen is the safest and most effective option for both Surrey and the Province,” Locke said.

By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada

SURREY – An angry Surrey mayor Brenda Locke called provincial Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth a bully over playing games with the already decided police transition back to Surrey RCMP, which the council voted on last week.

Farnworth put out a “threatening” press release Monday morning, claiming that he didn’t receive the City of Surrey Corporate Report outlining the transition plan and that if he didn’t receive the report by 1pm Monday, he will be forced to do something which presumably would be something other than what Surrey council already decided last Thursday in a vote, which was to keep the RCMP.

“Ministry officials have advised the city that I need this report by 1 p.m. today to review it, or I will be forced to make a determination about what is necessary for safe and effective policing without it,” Farnworth said in a press release.

But Locke fired back that it was Farnworth playing games as none of persons on his list to receive the Corporate Report had sent back Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) as required by Surrey to receive the report.

“I have been advised by staff that, although a list of persons at the Province who require a copy of our Corporate Report was provided to us as of 11:27 a.m. today (Monday), we have yet to receive signed NDAs from those individuals. Upon receipt of the signed NDAs, the Corporate Report will be immediately sent to the individuals,” Locke said in a press release Monday.

She further advised Farnworth that the Police Act is clear, Surrey Council decides on its municipal police force. “Surrey has. There is no public safety crisis in Surrey, and the path the City has chosen is the safest and most effective option for both Surrey and the Province,” Locke said.

“If the Minister’s concern is the Surrey Police Service walking off the job, which is a dereliction of their duty as peace officers, then he should order them not to do so as it would most certainly compromise public safety in Surrey. To date our requests for such assurances have fallen on deaf ears.”

Farnworth later had to eat crow and put out a second press release Monday confirming that the province has signed the NDAs and received the Report.

“The Province has received and signed the city’s confidentiality agreement,” Farnworth said. “Ministry staff are now in receipt of the city’s corporate report and are in the process of reviewing it.

“The safety of people in Surrey is critical, and we are working urgently so I may make a determination as quickly as possible, if it meets the requirements I laid out to ensure safe and effective policing in Surrey and the province,” he said.