Surrey Councilor Linda Annis Says New Surrey Police Board No Substitute For Referendum And Public Input

“As Premier John Horgan, Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and policing experts have confirmed, this transition is a long way from being a done deal:  not only from a legal perspective, but also on finances and recruitment,” said National Police Board President Brian Sauvé. “I always applaud anyone who wants to serve the community, but we could have had this board with the RCMP, and frankly the board is no substitute for a referendum that gives the people of Surrey the final say on who will police our city,” said Surrey Councilor Linda Annis. “The entire police transition process continues to ignore the people of Surrey and with the mayor as chair of the board, I expect the lack of transparency to continue.”

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

SURREY – National Police Board (NPF)and Surrey Councilor Linda Annis continued their call for transparency on costs and a referendum on the proposed new police force for Surrey to replace the RCMP as the new Surrey Police Board met for the first time on Thursday.

NPF President Brian Sauvé said: “After months of uncertainty perpetuated by Mayor McCallum’s evasive tactics, we expect the new Surrey Police Board to provide information on real and hidden financial and social costs of this expensive and secretive plan. As the public body accountable to residents of Surrey on matters of policing, these issues are critical to residents of Surrey, and our 850 Members serving in Surrey.

“We continue to be disappointed in the ongoing resounding lack of transparency on this transition, including the release of the agenda and details only three days before this important public meeting.

“The City of Surrey, like most municipalities across this country, is facing financial hardship due to COVID-19. This is being exacerbated by this unnecessary and unwelcome transition resulting in cuts to public services and infrastructure. The Board, which is a body with a legal fiduciary duty to the residents of Surrey, must consider the impact of these fiscal challenges and cuts on vulnerable citizens and the broader community, as well as the knock-on effect to public safety and policing.

“As Premier John Horgan, Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and policing experts have confirmed, this transition is a long way from being a done deal:  not only from a legal perspective, but also on finances and recruitment,” he said

Sauvé said the proposed April 2021 transition date is unattainable, and a shift of this magnitude cannot and should not be rushed.  Critical unaddressed questions and hurdles remain.

“Our Members continue to be committed to policing in Surrey in both the short and long-term but will remain with the RCMP should this transition happen,” he said.

Councillor Annis meanwhile congratulated the members of the new Surrey police board for wanting to serve the community, but said the board is no substitute for a referendum on policing. The board is meeting today for the first time.

 “I always applaud anyone who wants to serve the community, but we could have had this board with the RCMP, and frankly the board is no substitute for a referendum that gives the people of Surrey the final say on who will police our city,” said Annis. “The entire police transition process continues to ignore the people of Surrey and with the mayor as chair of the board, I expect the lack of transparency to continue.”

Annis said policing is the single biggest budget item for the city, and the fact that residents have been completely left out of the process is frustrating and dividing the community.

 “The transition budget tops $129 million, money we don’t have, and a police force that more and more residents don’t want,” noted Annis. “Board members can see the frustration right across the community in the lawn signs going up across the city and the nearly 50,000 signatures on the petition supporting the RCMP. To ignore the community is completely tone deaf and no way to start a city police force.”

Annis also believes that all of the board members should have come from the community.

 “We have nearly 600,000 people in Surrey, surely we could have found nine people from our city to sit on the board, rather than including people who don’t call Surrey home,” Annis added.

Annis said she is also disappointed that the provincial government has ignored the concerns of Surrey voters throughout the transition. “The province could insist on a referendum, instead they are standing back and watching as Doug McCallum and his remaining Safe Surrey councillors completely disregard Surrey residents,” added Annis.

The Surrey Board of Trade said Surrey Police Board needs to review and answer economic and governance implications.

“Public safety matters to business,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.

“The Surrey Board of Trade’s position is to maintain RCMP services for Surrey’s public safety infrastructure, harness existing resources, create a holistic model for public safety that not only includes the RCMP but other supports for youth, mental health, and more. We are in a pandemic and facing an economic crisis with recession-level job losses and business closures. The use of public funds, including those taxes that businesses pay, needs to bolster economic growth.”

The Surrey Board of Trade hopes that the Surrey Police Board will seek public engagement and communicate key unanswered economic and governance questions.

“For Surrey to be an opportunity city, Surrey needs a considered and thoughtful process by the Surrey Police Board to evaluate Surrey’s policing plan.”

The Surrey Board of Trade has the following key questions that need to be considered and answered to by the new Surrey Police Board:

1. How will public safety be maintained with a new police force to ensure that businesses and residents feel safe and are safe, and further, that businesses will stay in Surrey. 
2. What is the real cost of the transition plan, including capital and operating needs like infrastructure, recruitment, IT requirements and pensions?
3. What important public services or infrastructure are being eliminated or postponed by the City of Surrey to pay for the police transition?
4. What is the Board’s real timeline for this transition, given that the Premier recently commented that the transition has a ‘long way to go’ and Minister Farnworth said there is no definitive deadline and the transition must be done to the Ministry’s satisfaction?
5. The Surrey Policing Transition Plan of May 2019 was intended to form the basis for a feasibility assessment by Surrey City Council. Will the Board require City Council to conduct a feasibility study as set out in the Transition Plan?
6. What is the role of Surrey Police Board members, who were appointed to act in the public interest, to be accountable and communicate with the business community and residents?
7. How will the Board maintain its independence from politics and ensure Surrey’s livability isn’t compromised?
8. Will Surrey Police Board members engage with the Surrey RCMP, who currently police Surrey?
9. How will the Police Board recruit the officers they need for the Surrey Police Department? How will this impact other municipal police forces like Vancouver who are already struggling to address retention issues?
10. How would a new Surrey police force impact the new officer training services that are already stretched at the Justice Institute of BC?
11. How will the recently announced provincial policing review consider a transition of policing in BC’s second largest force?