Surrey city council has directed city staff, as Mayor Brenda Locke put it, to make 害羞草研究所渁 180害羞草研究所� degree turn on the policing transition to the Surrey Police Service from the Surrey RCMP.

Councillors Mandeep Nagra, Doug Elford and Linda Annis voted against endorsing a framework for maintaining the RCMP as Surrey害羞草研究所檚 police of jurisdiction and have staff present a final plan to this end, to be voted on by council at its Dec. 12 council meeting. It was passed on a 6-3 vote, with Mayor Brenda Locke, Rob Stutt, Pardeep Kooner, Gordon Hepner, Harry Bains and Mike Bose voting in favour.

Nagra raised Surrey Connect害羞草研究所檚 election claim that retaining the Surrey RCMP instead of incoming Surrey Police Service would save residents $520 million over the next four years. 害羞草研究所淲hen do we get to see that number that it害羞草研究所檚 going to cost $520 million?害羞草研究所� he asked.

Surrey害羞草研究所檚 manager of finance Kam Grewal replied that staff are working 害羞草研究所渧ery, very hard害羞草研究所� on a financial analysis that will be 害羞草研究所渇orthcoming害羞草研究所� on Dec. 12. 害羞草研究所淚n relation to the direction question by councillor Nagra, I cannot speak to that, I haven害羞草研究所檛 seen those numbers but I can tell you it害羞草研究所檚 a priority of staff to include the financial analysis and implications all on Dec. 12.害羞草研究所�

Surrey害羞草研究所檚 top Mountie Brian Edwards presented before city council Monday night a 害羞草研究所渇ramework for maintaining the RCMP as Police of Jurisdiction in Surrey.害羞草研究所�

Edwards told council he has 573 operational members under his command, with others recovering from injuries. 害羞草研究所淚 need 161 officers to right-size. I can do that by the end of 2023. The RCMP has been on-budget year after year after year.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淢y path forward is remarkably simple,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 need a staffing plan for 161 people.害羞草研究所�

He said the 害羞草研究所渦ncertainty of policing is no longer tenable.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚f I害羞草研究所檓 given the green light, I害羞草研究所檒l immediately implement steps to staff up to 161.害羞草研究所�

Claims the Surrey RCMP is not locally accountable are 害羞草研究所渦nfounded害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渓aughable,害羞草研究所� he told council. He welcomed Surrey Police Service officers to join the Surrey RCMP.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e locally accountable, there害羞草研究所檚 no other way to say it.害羞草研究所�

Seeking to 害羞草研究所渄ispel a myth,害羞草研究所� he said, current SPS officers who join the RCMP can spend their entire career working in Surrey, with the RCMP.

害羞草研究所淚 welcome them to the RCMP,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 not a better entry point to the RCMP for a municipal officer than Surrey.害羞草研究所�

Edwards received lengthy applause from the audience in council chambers. Locke asked for order.

Elford asked him what he plans to do about SPS officers vowing en-masse to not join the RCMP, to which Edwards replied 害羞草研究所淎re you referring to the pledge that was made that 94 per cent of SPS won害羞草研究所檛 join the RCMP? I害羞草研究所檓 not going to respond to union business, but I left Calgary Police and I will say this, that employment law supports me: The decision of an employer is one that is made by an individual, not a group. And I害羞草研究所檒l leave my answer at that.害羞草研究所�

Edwards told council he wanted to clarify a few things. 害羞草研究所淚 have respected process and authority through this entire transition whether that decision was to replace the RCMP or to maintain the RCMP. I have always been extremely measured in my comments,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭his has been difficult at times. Often, I was bursting to set the record straight or to advocate to maintain the RCMP. But my job is to lead policing for this city 害羞草研究所� it is the job of others to decide who polices the city. Unfortunately, others have not been as constrained in public commentary. Spokespersons have criticized ongoing RCMP programs, said that other programs will be better. Programs that don害羞草研究所檛 exist.害羞草研究所�

Edwards said 害羞草研究所渕ultiple inaccurate comments害羞草研究所� have been made. 害羞草研究所淭he list goes on and on. The intent seems clear 害羞草研究所� to create concern and fear.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hese comments seek to establish that the RCMP cannot effectively police Surrey. I害羞草研究所檒l show you tonight we have, we do, and we will.害羞草研究所� He said he will 害羞草研究所渘ever criticize害羞草研究所� municipal policing or municipal police officers in this country. 害羞草研究所淣ever. I was one. They provide vital public safety to our communities. But I will not allow others to criticize the RCMP model or RCMP officers.害羞草研究所�

Edwards said his team spends a 害羞草研究所渃onsiderable害羞草研究所� amount of time mitigating disruption to policing, 害羞草研究所渁nd we have for four years, especially in the last two.害羞草研究所� There are 害羞草研究所渟tructural deficiencies害羞草研究所� in the path moving forward with the current transition to the SPS, he said.

害羞草研究所淢ake no bones about it.害羞草研究所�

Coun. Doug Elford said he害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渄isappointed害羞草研究所� a representative of the SPS was not in attendance to provide 害羞草研究所渂alance.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 think this is a waste of time and money,害羞草研究所� Elford said, adding that Surrey transitioning to its own city police force is the 害羞草研究所渙pportunity of a lifetime.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎ll of North America is watching,害羞草研究所� he said.

On Tuesday, the Surrey Police Union issued a press release accusing Edwards of withholding 害羞草研究所渁larming public safety risks to residents.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎fter watching OIC Brian Edwards害羞草研究所� comments last night, I am very concerned by the deliberate omission of the actual policing scenarios taking place on the ground as a result of RCMP staffing shortages,害羞草研究所� union president Rick Stewart stated in the press release. 害羞草研究所淲hen there is a regular occurrence of only 1-3 officers patrolling the entirety of South Surrey and Cloverdale at night, it is clear that the daily threats to public safety in Surrey are not being taken seriously by RCMP leadership.害羞草研究所�

The Now-Leader has reached out to Edwards for a response.

Council debated a corporate report asking the politicians to endorse a proposed framework containing Surrey害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所減riorities, goals and objectives for policing in 2023害羞草研究所� and direct staff to present a 害羞草研究所渇inal plan害羞草研究所� for maintaining the Surrey RCMP as the city害羞草研究所檚 police force for council害羞草研究所檚 endorsement at its Dec. 12 council meeting.

害羞草研究所淭his report provides a framework for the City to maintain the RCMP as the Police of Jurisdiction in Surrey,害羞草研究所� the corporate report states. 害羞草研究所淭his framework will guide the development of the final plan to maintain the RCMP as the Police of Jurisdiction in Surrey which will be presented to Council for endorsement on December 12, 2022, should Council endorse the recommendations of this report.

Monday害羞草研究所檚 corporate report 害羞草研究所� by Surrey害羞草研究所檚 manager of community services Terry Waterhouse, Kam Grewal, and manager of corporate services Rob Costanzo 害羞草研究所� states that a 害羞草研究所減roject team害羞草研究所� will oversee development of the final plan which, if approved by council on Dec. 12, will be submitted to Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth for consideration by Dec. 15.

At council害羞草研究所檚 last meeting on Nov. 14 Mayor Brenda Locke害羞草研究所檚 Surrey Connect majority on a 5-4 vote directed city staff to prepare a plan toward that end.

The project team is comprised of Edwards, Waterhouse, consultants Tonia Enger and Dr. Peter German 害羞草研究所� who has held high positions including the RCMP害羞草研究所檚 national director general of financial crime and president of the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform 害羞草研究所� with senior members of the RCMP and city staff providing 害羞草研究所渟trategic and administrative support.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he Plan, if endorsed, will provide a comprehensive update on the status of the transition to date and highlights the significant amount of work still required,害羞草研究所� the report coming before council on Monday states. It also notes the contractual requirement for the RCMP to continue to be the city害羞草研究所檚 police of jurisdiction is 害羞草研究所渁lready in place.害羞草研究所�

Since council defeated her Nov. 14 motion for a referendum, Coun. Linda Annis said, the city must produce a report that害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渁s fair, transparent, unbiased and factual as possible.

害羞草研究所淲hile I have every confidence in Mr. German and Ms. Enger, a third member of the team, someone not associated with the RCMP, should also help put the report together in order to give Surrey residents and the province the confidence that Surrey has been both fair and accurate in what we find and what害羞草研究所檚 being proposed going forward,害羞草研究所� Annis said. 害羞草研究所淲e never got that sort of transparency with Doug McCallum, but now we can do things better and differently.害羞草研究所�

Annis asked council to include an 害羞草研究所渋ndependent accountant害羞草研究所� on the team 害羞草研究所渢o provide financial oversight.害羞草研究所� Bose said it would 害羞草研究所渓end credence害羞草研究所� to the process to have an accountant not affiliated with either the RCMP or SPS.

Coun. Rob Stutt asked Annis if she thinks the process is biased. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 not what I害羞草研究所檓 saying,害羞草研究所� she replied. The Surrey Connect majority defeated Annis害羞草研究所檚 motion.

The corporate report notes that the number of Mounties assigned to the Surrey RCMP 害羞草研究所渉as not been reduced and remains害羞草研究所� at 843, with 58 of those assigned to Lower Mainland District Integrated Teams and 害羞草研究所渘ot located害羞草研究所� within the Surrey RCMP detachment.

害羞草研究所淎s such, the Surrey Detachment strength is considered 785 Members, although 51 of these positions are not currently funded,害羞草研究所� the corporate report states. It adds that 害羞草研究所渁s of this date,害羞草研究所� 168 Surrey Police Service officers are 害羞草研究所減roviding policing services to Surrey residents害羞草研究所� under the RCMP害羞草研究所檚 command.

While 害羞草研究所渟ome preliminary discussions害羞草研究所� on legal agreements have been held, 害羞草研究所渟ubstantive details have not been worked out, nor have agreements been drafted,害羞草研究所� the corporate report notes. 害羞草研究所淪uch agreements may require approval of all parties, and likely Cabinet endorsement at both the Federal and Provincial levels. Based on the experience of prior negotiations, it is reasonable to assume the negotiations of these legal agreements will take 6 - 9 months.害羞草研究所�

Meantime, the budget and 害羞草研究所減ractical implications of a holding pattern on deployment and demobilization while these legal agreements are prepared and signed off are significant and will require the City to continue to fund through most of 2023 a complement of non-deployed SPS police officers far in excess of the City害羞草研究所檚 ability to pay,害羞草研究所� it continues.

The priorities, goals and objectives for policing in Surrey in 2023 include development of a staffing plan to provide employment, 害羞草研究所渨here possible,害羞草研究所� to civilian and sworn SPS officers who are integrated into the Surrey RCMP 害羞草研究所渢o allow for continued and enhanced career development opportunities,害羞草研究所� as well as develop and implement an Infrastructure Plan which will see the current information systems and equipment assets purchased on behalf of the SPS, repurposed by other entities within the City of Surrey.害羞草研究所�

The objective for 2023 is to maintain a minimum service level of 734 RCMP officers 害羞草研究所渁s soon as possible to ensure adequate and effective policing in 2023 and beyond害羞草研究所� and to 害羞草研究所渄evelop and implement a plan for SPS to provide Assigned Officers to support害羞草研究所� operation of the Municipal Police Unit害羞草研究所� as the RCMP 害羞草研究所渟taffs up to full funded strength consistent with an agreed staffing plan.害羞草研究所�

And then there are the financial considerations. The city害羞草研究所檚 policing operations budget for 2023 will include funding for the RCMP contract, city police support services and SPS. The financial plan it adopted for 2022 害羞草研究所� 2026 allocates a combined budget of $202.4 million for fiscal year 2023, for policing operations, with proposed budgets to be presented to council 害羞草研究所渓ikely in early in 2023.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭o finalize the budget requirements for 2023,害羞草研究所� the corporate report notes, Surrey requires approval from Farnworth of its intention to stick with the RCMP.

害羞草研究所淭his will allow staff to determine a proposed start date for the implementation of the plan. Collaborative work with the RCMP and the SPS will then take place to determine the cadence of RCMP ramp up and SPS ramp down and confirm corresponding budget allocations required.害羞草研究所�

Surrey 害羞草研究所渆nvisions害羞草研究所� a decision from Farnworth in January 2023 害羞草研究所渁nd a ramp up of RCMP and ramp down of SPS beginning in March 2023.害羞草研究所�

Meanwhile, the Surrey Police Board害羞草研究所檚 next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 30. The agenda for that meeting on that day.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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