Surrey city council has directed city staff, as Mayor Brenda Locke put it, to make 香蕉视频直播渁 180香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 election claim that retaining the Surrey RCMP instead of incoming Surrey Police Service would save residents $520 million over the next four years. 香蕉视频直播淲hen do we get to see that number that it香蕉视频直播檚 going to cost $520 million?香蕉视频直播� he asked.
Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 manager of finance Kam Grewal replied that staff are working 香蕉视频直播渧ery, very hard香蕉视频直播� on a financial analysis that will be 香蕉视频直播渇orthcoming香蕉视频直播� on Dec. 12. 香蕉视频直播淚n relation to the direction question by councillor Nagra, I cannot speak to that, I haven香蕉视频直播檛 seen those numbers but I can tell you it香蕉视频直播檚 a priority of staff to include the financial analysis and implications all on Dec. 12.香蕉视频直播�
Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 top Mountie Brian Edwards presented before city council Monday night a 香蕉视频直播渇ramework for maintaining the RCMP as Police of Jurisdiction in Surrey.香蕉视频直播�
Edwards told council he has 573 operational members under his command, with others recovering from injuries. 香蕉视频直播淚 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.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淢y path forward is remarkably simple,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 need a staffing plan for 161 people.香蕉视频直播�
He said the 香蕉视频直播渦ncertainty of policing is no longer tenable.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚f I香蕉视频直播檓 given the green light, I香蕉视频直播檒l immediately implement steps to staff up to 161.香蕉视频直播�
Claims the Surrey RCMP is not locally accountable are 香蕉视频直播渦nfounded香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渓aughable,香蕉视频直播� he told council. He welcomed Surrey Police Service officers to join the Surrey RCMP.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e locally accountable, there香蕉视频直播檚 no other way to say it.香蕉视频直播�
Seeking to 香蕉视频直播渄ispel a myth,香蕉视频直播� he said, current SPS officers who join the RCMP can spend their entire career working in Surrey, with the RCMP.
香蕉视频直播淚 welcome them to the RCMP,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 not a better entry point to the RCMP for a municipal officer than Surrey.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播淎re you referring to the pledge that was made that 94 per cent of SPS won香蕉视频直播檛 join the RCMP? I香蕉视频直播檓 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香蕉视频直播檒l leave my answer at that.香蕉视频直播�
Edwards told council he wanted to clarify a few things. 香蕉视频直播淚 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,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭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 香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檛 exist.香蕉视频直播�
Edwards said 香蕉视频直播渕ultiple inaccurate comments香蕉视频直播� have been made. 香蕉视频直播淭he list goes on and on. The intent seems clear 香蕉视频直播� to create concern and fear.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭hese comments seek to establish that the RCMP cannot effectively police Surrey. I香蕉视频直播檒l show you tonight we have, we do, and we will.香蕉视频直播� He said he will 香蕉视频直播渘ever criticize香蕉视频直播� municipal policing or municipal police officers in this country. 香蕉视频直播淣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.香蕉视频直播�
Edwards said his team spends a 香蕉视频直播渃onsiderable香蕉视频直播� amount of time mitigating disruption to policing, 香蕉视频直播渁nd we have for four years, especially in the last two.香蕉视频直播� There are 香蕉视频直播渟tructural deficiencies香蕉视频直播� in the path moving forward with the current transition to the SPS, he said.
香蕉视频直播淢ake no bones about it.香蕉视频直播�
Coun. Doug Elford said he香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渄isappointed香蕉视频直播� a representative of the SPS was not in attendance to provide 香蕉视频直播渂alance.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚 think this is a waste of time and money,香蕉视频直播� Elford said, adding that Surrey transitioning to its own city police force is the 香蕉视频直播渙pportunity of a lifetime.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎ll of North America is watching,香蕉视频直播� he said.
On Tuesday, the Surrey Police Union issued a press release accusing Edwards of withholding 香蕉视频直播渁larming public safety risks to residents.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎fter watching OIC Brian Edwards香蕉视频直播� 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,香蕉视频直播� union president Rick Stewart stated in the press release. 香蕉视频直播淲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.香蕉视频直播�
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香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播減riorities, goals and objectives for policing in 2023香蕉视频直播� and direct staff to present a 香蕉视频直播渇inal plan香蕉视频直播� for maintaining the Surrey RCMP as the city香蕉视频直播檚 police force for council香蕉视频直播檚 endorsement at its Dec. 12 council meeting.
香蕉视频直播淭his report provides a framework for the City to maintain the RCMP as the Police of Jurisdiction in Surrey,香蕉视频直播� the corporate report states. 香蕉视频直播淭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香蕉视频直播檚 corporate report 香蕉视频直播� by Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 manager of community services Terry Waterhouse, Kam Grewal, and manager of corporate services Rob Costanzo 香蕉视频直播� states that a 香蕉视频直播減roject team香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 last meeting on Nov. 14 Mayor Brenda Locke香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播� who has held high positions including the RCMP香蕉视频直播檚 national director general of financial crime and president of the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform 香蕉视频直播� with senior members of the RCMP and city staff providing 香蕉视频直播渟trategic and administrative support.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭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,香蕉视频直播� the report coming before council on Monday states. It also notes the contractual requirement for the RCMP to continue to be the city香蕉视频直播檚 police of jurisdiction is 香蕉视频直播渁lready in place.香蕉视频直播�
Since council defeated her Nov. 14 motion for a referendum, Coun. Linda Annis said, the city must produce a report that香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渁s fair, transparent, unbiased and factual as possible.
香蕉视频直播淲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香蕉视频直播檚 being proposed going forward,香蕉视频直播� Annis said. 香蕉视频直播淲e never got that sort of transparency with Doug McCallum, but now we can do things better and differently.香蕉视频直播�
Annis asked council to include an 香蕉视频直播渋ndependent accountant香蕉视频直播� on the team 香蕉视频直播渢o provide financial oversight.香蕉视频直播� Bose said it would 香蕉视频直播渓end credence香蕉视频直播� 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. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 not what I香蕉视频直播檓 saying,香蕉视频直播� she replied. The Surrey Connect majority defeated Annis香蕉视频直播檚 motion.
The corporate report notes that the number of Mounties assigned to the Surrey RCMP 香蕉视频直播渉as not been reduced and remains香蕉视频直播� at 843, with 58 of those assigned to Lower Mainland District Integrated Teams and 香蕉视频直播渘ot located香蕉视频直播� within the Surrey RCMP detachment.
香蕉视频直播淎s such, the Surrey Detachment strength is considered 785 Members, although 51 of these positions are not currently funded,香蕉视频直播� the corporate report states. It adds that 香蕉视频直播渁s of this date,香蕉视频直播� 168 Surrey Police Service officers are 香蕉视频直播減roviding policing services to Surrey residents香蕉视频直播� under the RCMP香蕉视频直播檚 command.
While 香蕉视频直播渟ome preliminary discussions香蕉视频直播� on legal agreements have been held, 香蕉视频直播渟ubstantive details have not been worked out, nor have agreements been drafted,香蕉视频直播� the corporate report notes. 香蕉视频直播淪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.香蕉视频直播�
Meantime, the budget and 香蕉视频直播減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香蕉视频直播檚 ability to pay,香蕉视频直播� it continues.
The priorities, goals and objectives for policing in Surrey in 2023 include development of a staffing plan to provide employment, 香蕉视频直播渨here possible,香蕉视频直播� to civilian and sworn SPS officers who are integrated into the Surrey RCMP 香蕉视频直播渢o allow for continued and enhanced career development opportunities,香蕉视频直播� 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.香蕉视频直播�
The objective for 2023 is to maintain a minimum service level of 734 RCMP officers 香蕉视频直播渁s soon as possible to ensure adequate and effective policing in 2023 and beyond香蕉视频直播� and to 香蕉视频直播渄evelop and implement a plan for SPS to provide Assigned Officers to support香蕉视频直播� operation of the Municipal Police Unit香蕉视频直播� as the RCMP 香蕉视频直播渟taffs up to full funded strength consistent with an agreed staffing plan.香蕉视频直播�
And then there are the financial considerations. The city香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播� 2026 allocates a combined budget of $202.4 million for fiscal year 2023, for policing operations, with proposed budgets to be presented to council 香蕉视频直播渓ikely in early in 2023.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭o finalize the budget requirements for 2023,香蕉视频直播� the corporate report notes, Surrey requires approval from Farnworth of its intention to stick with the RCMP.
香蕉视频直播淭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.香蕉视频直播�
Surrey 香蕉视频直播渆nvisions香蕉视频直播� a decision from Farnworth in January 2023 香蕉视频直播渁nd a ramp up of RCMP and ramp down of SPS beginning in March 2023.香蕉视频直播�
Meanwhile, the Surrey Police Board香蕉视频直播檚 next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 30. The agenda for that meeting on that day.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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