Months of sabre-rattling rhetoric between Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth over the city香蕉视频直播檚 incendiary policing transition amplified into political cannon fire this week after Locke announced on Monday the city is challenging in court the 香蕉视频直播榗onstitutionality香蕉视频直播� of the provincial government香蕉视频直播檚 decision to replace the Surrey RCMP with the Surrey Police Service.

An amended petition to the one Surrey filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Oct. 13 was filed Nov. 20 and Locke characterized this move as a 香蕉视频直播渟ignificant step to stop the NDP police service香蕉视频直播� as a result of the provincial government香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渁ttempted police takeover, which would require double digit 香蕉视频直播� double digit 香蕉视频直播� NDP tax hike on Surrey taxpayers.

香蕉视频直播淲e are challenging the constitutionality of the province香蕉视频直播檚 latest legislation,香蕉视频直播� Locke said. 香蕉视频直播淪urrey voters deserve to have their voices heard.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e have to fight for what香蕉视频直播檚 right,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淭his is not a municipal police force that we香蕉视频直播檙e looking at right now,香蕉视频直播� Locke said of the SPS. 香蕉视频直播淭his is a provincial imposition on the citizens and the residents and the taxpayer of Surrey. That香蕉视频直播檚 not what the voters asked for.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth dismissed Locke香蕉视频直播檚 latest move as 香蕉视频直播渏ust an example of delaying tactics by the mayor and I think all it does is cost taxpayers money and it is a waste of money and a waste of time.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e have every confidence in the constitutionality of the legislation,香蕉视频直播� he said Nov. 20. 香蕉视频直播淭he decision has been made, the future of policing in Surrey is the Surrey Police Service.香蕉视频直播�

This latest petition is aimed at the provincial government amending the Police Act last month to specify that Surrey must provide policing services through a municipal police department gave the solicitor general authority to cancel the existing agreement between the provincial government and the City of Surrey for the provision of RCMP services.

香蕉视频直播淭his is absolutely a tragedy,香蕉视频直播� Locke said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd I think citizens in Surrey absolutely deserve better. I hear from them every day, they香蕉视频直播檙e concerned about affordability and this is a significant impact on affordability.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth said at the time that the legislation also provides, 香蕉视频直播渋f necessary,香蕉视频直播� the provincial government with the ability to appoint an administrator to 香蕉视频直播渁ssume the functions香蕉视频直播� of the Surrey Police Board to oversee the SPS.

Locke all but declared political war on the NDP government Monday. 香蕉视频直播淭he question before the courts is whether the province has the constitutional right to do what it is attempting to do to Surrey and Surrey taxpayers with this legislation,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 say I香蕉视频直播檓 digging in my heels, but what I would say is I will fight for Surrey taxpayers every single day and we know that the costs are incredible.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth waged political war back, slamming Locke香蕉视频直播檚 reference to the NDP tax on Surrey and the NDP police service as a 香蕉视频直播渃heap political shot.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淵ou know there are hundreds of men and women right now, on the ground in Surrey, who are dedicated police officers and for the mayor of Surrey to denigrate that by trying to take some cheap political shot I think is disrespectful to those men and women who put their life on the line every single day to protect the citizens of Surrey,香蕉视频直播� Farnworth remarked, 香蕉视频直播渨hether they香蕉视频直播檙e Surrey Police Service members or whether they香蕉视频直播檙e RCMP. I just think it香蕉视频直播檚 incredibly disrespectful.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淔or the mayor to say that you know, oh, it香蕉视频直播檚 an NDP police service, quite frankly, I think it香蕉视频直播檚 a disgrace.香蕉视频直播�

Locke was taken aback.

香蕉视频直播淔or the solicitor general to use the sacrifice of police officers over a political dispute was highly, highly unusual and I would say inappropriate,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚f the NDP don香蕉视频直播檛 want to be associated with an unaffordable, disorganized police force which is what they have lined up then they can fix that.香蕉视频直播�

Prior to the legislation being amended, Locke noted, the Police Act said local governments get to choose their police department. 香蕉视频直播淭hat was the Act previously, that is what they香蕉视频直播檝e changed specific to Surrey and that is a massive concern to me.香蕉视频直播�

The mayor said she was elected to 香蕉视频直播渇ight香蕉视频直播� for Surrey residents 香蕉视频直播渆very day,香蕉视频直播� and promised that香蕉视频直播檚 what she香蕉视频直播檒l do. Locke said this conflict is about affordability in Surrey and dodging a double-digit tax increase for its residents. She said she香蕉视频直播檚 concerned for families, seniors, 香蕉视频直播渙rdinary citizens and everybody that is going to be dramatically, dramatically impacted by this NDP tax on Surrey.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭his government does not have the right to run roughshod over every local government that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 bend to their will,香蕉视频直播� Locke said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen Surrey didn香蕉视频直播檛 agree with their costly plans they hastily ordered us to move forward with a very expensive and disorganized transition and when we had challenged their authority to do that, they rushed through legislation at a record pace to cover up the mistakes that they had made.香蕉视频直播�

Locke noted that prior to the 2022 city election the provincial government 香蕉视频直播渟aid choosing a police was the city香蕉视频直播檚 decision, so my team and I ran on a platform that was clear 香蕉视频直播� we would stop the police transition and keep the RCMP in Surrey.香蕉视频直播�

She added that after the election, the provincial government said the City of Surrey 香蕉视频直播渉ad the option to put forward a plan to keep the RCMP. It is now clear that the province had other plans in mind.香蕉视频直播�

On Oct. 13, the City of Surrey filed its first petition with the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking a judicial review of Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth香蕉视频直播檚 July 19 order to proceed with the SPS, as the mayor continues to stands firm in the majority of council香蕉视频直播檚 intention to stick with the RCMP as Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 police of jurisdiction.

The provincial government has yet to file a response to Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 petition with the court registry and 香蕉视频直播渇or reasons that are privileged香蕉视频直播� cannot provide an estimated date. Respondents served in Canada are typically given 21 days to respond.

香蕉视频直播淎s far as I know there hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been a response filed and I will be meeting with lawyers about that very soon,香蕉视频直播� Locke told the Now-Leader.

Farnworth on Nov. 16 temporarily suspended the Surrey Police Board 香蕉视频直播� of which Locke was chairwoman 香蕉视频直播� and appointed retired Abbotsford police chief Mike Serr as its replacement administrator.

Locke sees Farnworth香蕉视频直播檚 move to put the 香蕉视频直播渃ompletely dysfunctional香蕉视频直播� SPB on ice and appoint an administer in its stead as a decision on his part that Surrey doesn香蕉视频直播檛 need civilian oversight.

香蕉视频直播淭he minister has decided that Surrey doesn香蕉视频直播檛 need civilian oversight at the police board and so he suspended the entire police board,香蕉视频直播� she told the Now-Leader. 香蕉视频直播淚 think there香蕉视频直播檚 no question, if anyone looks back at the open part of the police board meetings, this police board was completely dysfunctional. The province knew that, the former director of police services knew that, they have apologized to me for the behaviour of the board.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth appointed Serr under Section 8 of the Police Amendment Act, he said, 香蕉视频直播渁fter careful consideration of the work by the Surrey Police Board, which has been limited due to the lack of progress from the City of Surrey in advancing the police model transition to the SPS.香蕉视频直播�

Locke said she doesn香蕉视频直播檛 know how much Serr is being paid. 香蕉视频直播淚 heard it was $225 an hour.香蕉视频直播�

She said the city of Surrey still hasn香蕉视频直播檛 seen a plan from the provincial government on how the transition will move ahead.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e said 香蕉视频直播榳hat is your plan?香蕉视频直播� and they somehow think we should provide that plan and I香蕉视频直播檝e said to them we have a plan, and that香蕉视频直播檚 to keep the RCMP in Surrey, we gave you that plan, but we haven香蕉视频直播檛 seen their plan.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淣ow they have removed civilian oversight and installed another police officer to carry out this expensive, disorganized transition. At best the province misled Surrey taxpayers,香蕉视频直播� Locke added. 香蕉视频直播淭his is not a Surrey Police Service, this is an NDP Police Service that reports to the solicitor general directly. My team and I have been clear 香蕉视频直播� we oppose this transition and will do everything within reason to stop it.

香蕉视频直播淭here is no civilian oversight, so how are we to say this is our police force? Of course this is the NDP police force, it香蕉视频直播檚 the one appointed by the minister.香蕉视频直播�

According to a City of Surrey press release, 香蕉视频直播淥ver the next decade, the province香蕉视频直播檚 police transition is estimated to cost at least $464 million with no additional public safety benefit to the residents of Surrey.香蕉视频直播�

Farnworth said Serr will submit a budget to Surrey by Nov. 30 and if the city says it香蕉视频直播檚 not happy with the budget, 香蕉视频直播渢hat goes to the director of police services for them to make a decision, recommendations or changes or what have you. That香蕉视频直播檚 been in existence in the Police Act for a long time and has been used from time to time.香蕉视频直播�