Surrey police has began their campaign to oppose new Mayor Brenda Locke’s plan to keep the RCMP by having their officers sign a pledge not to work for the RCMP. “Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke’s hope for “many of the Surrey Police Service officers to work for the RCMP” has been dashed by the release of a pledge signed by an overwhelming number of Surrey Police Union (“SPU”) member officers,” Surrey Police said in a press release Thursday. Mayor Locke and Surrey Connect team pinned their campaign on reversing the controversial transition and she has made it clear post win that she intends to dismantle Surrey police and keep the RCMP. “I’m basically hitting the ground running, there’s a lot to do. Certainly stopping the transition, halting it right now, we have to do that, getting them to stop spending,” Locke said following her win. “We need to get this in under control. The people have spoken – it’s not up to eight people (Surrey Police Board) that are provincially appointed to dictate to the residents after an election.”
By DESIBUZZCanada Staff
SURREY – Surrey police has began their campaign to oppose new Mayor Brenda Locke’s plan to keep the RCMP by having their officers sign a pledge not to work for the RCMP.
“Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke’s hope for “many of the Surrey Police Service officers to work for the RCMP” has been dashed by the release of a pledge signed by an overwhelming number of Surrey Police Union (“SPU”) member officers,” Surrey Police said in a press release Thursday.
In a November 9, 2022 interview with the Vancouver Sun, Mayor Locke claimed that SPU officers and civilian staff “would be cared for” through a plan she is allegedly working out with the Surrey RCMP.
This approach, however, flies in the face of 275 of 293 SPU frontline officers who have signed a pledge (attached to this email) containing the following emphatic statement:
“I declare that if the Surrey Police Service ceases to exist, I have no intention to apply to nor join any RCMP detachment as my next career move.”
The Mayor’s comments demonstrate the disconnect that continues to exist between City Hall politics and those who joined the Surrey Police Service (“SPS”) to serve all Surrey residents, according to SPU President Rick Stewart.
“Our officers have voluntarily signed this declaration because of a number of specific reasons related to the RCMP, and as such, Mayor Locke’s hiring plan shows no regard for the will of our members,” explains Stewart. “The attraction of working for a Surrey-based municipal police force remains as one of the main factors behind our successful recruitment thus far.”
In addition, Mayor Locke’s interview also brought forth the possibility of placement of SPU officers “somewhere in an RCMP jurisdiction” that isn’t Surrey. Once again, the local aspect of policing remains as members’ number one motivation in wanting to remain working for the SPS.
“SPU remains focused on upholding community public safety as part of our ever-expanding integration across Surrey,” adds Stewart. “If Mayor Locke truly wants to take a people-centric approach to policing, we remain open to collaboration, transparency and accountability in support of the best interests of Surrey residents.”
Mayor Locke and Surrey Connect team pinned their campaign on reversing the controversial transition and she has made it clear post win that she intends to dismantle Surrey police and keep the RCMP.
“I’m basically hitting the ground running, there’s a lot to do. Certainly stopping the transition, halting it right now, we have to do that, getting them to stop spending,” Locke said following her win. “We need to get this in under control. The people have spoken – it’s not up to eight people (Surrey Police Board) that are provincially appointed to dictate to the residents after an election.”
Time and again, provincial Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, and Surrey NDP MLAs, have said the fate of the transition is Surrey council’s call to make.
“It’s laid out in the Police Act. They are the ones who get to decide what kind of model they want,” Farnworth told the Now-Leader on Feb. 27, 2020.
Farnworth reiterated recently that “Surrey has the ability to make that choice” but it’s not like “flicking on and off a light switch” and that Surrey will need to submit an “untransitioning” plan.
Locke said she’s trying to set up a meeting with David Eby, who is running for BC NDP leadership, and Farnworth. “I think everybody’s scrambling right now.”
