It害羞草研究所檚 hello Surrey Police, goodbye Surrey RCMP.

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum said Canada害羞草研究所檚 largest RCMP detachment has served the city well over the years.

害羞草研究所淭he reason we害羞草研究所檙e changing is our growth has taken us beyond the ability of the RCMP to do this,害羞草研究所� he said.

Surrey is Canada害羞草研究所檚 largest city to not have its own police force, at least until now.

The provincial government announced Thursday morning that the City of Surrey has been authorized to set up its own city police force but no timeline has yet been provided for when the new force will begin patrolling the city害羞草研究所檚 streets.

Wally Oppal, who was put in charge of overseeing the transition plan, said Solicitor General Mike Farnworth under Section 23 of the Police Act 害羞草研究所渉as authorized and sanctioned the City of Surrey to establish its own police force. The mayor will make the formal announcement later on this morning.害羞草研究所�

At Surrey council害羞草研究所檚 inaugural meeting on Nov. 5th, 2018 it served notice to the provincial and federal governments it is ending its contract with the RCMP 害羞草研究所� which has policed these parts since May 1, 1951 害羞草研究所� to set up its own force.

Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth on Aug. 22, 2019 gave the city the go-ahead to pursue the plan. Last November Mayor Doug McCallum said Surrey Police officers could be patrolling alongside the Surrey RCMP by next summer, despite there being no agreement in place to see this happen. Oppal said that timeline is 害羞草研究所渁mbitious,害羞草研究所� but McCallum stuck to that date Thursday.

McCallum held a press conference at 10 a.m., at city hall.

害羞草研究所淭his is the final step to guarantee that we will now have our Surrey Police Department,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚n just over one year, we moved from a unanimous council motion to full reality on our promise to deliver to the citizens of Surrey a city police department. With Minister Farnworth害羞草研究所檚 final approval to establish the Surrey Police Board, today marks day one for the Surrey Police Department.害羞草研究所�

As for the cost, McCallum says the salary gap between the RCMP and the new city police will be 害羞草研究所渙nly a few per cent害羞草研究所� because of the RCMP unionizing. 害羞草研究所琀e said police officers have already been applying from Calgary, Edmonton, Ontario and the Maritimes. 害羞草研究所淧eople want to live here,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭he time has come, and some would say it害羞草研究所檚 been long overdue, for Surrey to have a police force of its own where accountability begins and stays within our city,害羞草研究所� McCallum said. 害羞草研究所淟ocal responsibility, priorities and oversight will reside within the Surrey Police Board, which will be comprised of ourt most qualified. City staff will be working diligently with the province to put the Surrey Police Board in place. I look forward to beginning the work with my fellow Board members to bring Surrey Police to full operational strength.害羞草研究所�

Said McCallum, 害羞草研究所淥ur residents are very happy that we have our own Surrey police department.害羞草研究所�

The Now-Leader is seeking reaction from Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards, who took over command of the Surrey RCMP on Jan. 6.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e still taking it all in,害羞草研究所� said Constable Richard Wright, a media liaison officer with the detachment.

Terry Waterhouse, general manager in charge of the policing transition for the City of Surrey, said on the issues of pensions and collective agreements, that a pension transfer agreement is in place with the RCMP which allows Mounties, upon being hired by the new Surrey Police, to apply to transfer their pension into the pension plan all officers of municipal police are members of.

害羞草研究所淲e have established that the salary and benefits will be in keeping with other B.C. municipal departments,害羞草研究所� Waterhouse said. 害羞草研究所淲e also have a process in place to support municipal employees害羞草研究所� transition into the new structure.害羞草研究所�

Waterhouse said once the police board is set up, it will be presented with a detailed recruitment plan that outlines the process to recruit a chief constable and executive team, as well as police officers.

害羞草研究所淲hile there will be a number of previously experienced officers hired by the Surrey Police department, there also will be new recruits,害羞草研究所� Waterhouse said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e been working with the Justice Institute of B.C., where the B.C. police academy is housed, to ensure they can accommodate ongoing increases in recruit training that will result from the establishment of the Surrey Police department.害羞草研究所�

Asked what will happen to the current officer in charge of the Surrey RCMP, Waterhouse replied, 害羞草研究所淚 would suggest that害羞草研究所檚 a question separate for the RCMP.害羞草研究所�

Will the new police force occupy the Surrey RCMP detachment buildings in Newton?

害羞草研究所漈hose plans will be worked out,害羞草研究所� Waterhouse said.

Lisa Anderson, assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, said in coming days the ministry will work with the Crown agency and Board Resourcing Office to post the notice for positions of the new police board for Surrey.

害羞草研究所淭here will be a vetting process by ministry staff,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭hey will conduct interviews as part of that process and then the short list will move forward to the Director of Police Services for interviews that she will conduct. Following that there will be police record checks.害羞草研究所�

Board appointments are done by an Order in Council by the Lieutenant Governor. The board害羞草研究所檚 primary responsibilities, Anderson explained, include 害羞草研究所渂eing the employer害羞草研究所� of all police and civilian employees of the Surrey Police, financial oversight, establishing policies and providing direction for the department. 害羞草研究所淎s well, they manage any policy or service complaints against the department.害羞草研究所�

There can be a maximum of nine appointees, she said. 害羞草研究所淭he chair is the mayor of the municipality, and then the city council is able to elect one member and provide that recommendation to the minister. The remaining positions will be filled through the appointment process as recommended by the minister.害羞草研究所�

Anderson said that for the 害羞草研究所渋nitial function害羞草研究所� of the police board the province will appoint five members. 害羞草研究所淪o the police board in Surrey, when it first commences, will have seven members 害羞草研究所渨ith consideration to add the remaining to positions at a future point in time, a necessary.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所� With files by Lauren Collins

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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