Surrey city council has voted to retain the RCMP as its police of jurisdiction.

In what she called a B次元官网网址渞eturn to normalcyB次元官网网址� in the city, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke made the announcement during a press conference that became testy Friday morning at city hall.

B次元官网网址淪urrey needs a final answer on policing and Surrey council has decided, with a vote held yesterday, to retain the RCMP as our police force of jurisdiction,B次元官网网址� she said.

Locke said council made their vote during a B次元官网网址渟pecial council agendaB次元官网网址� Thursday (June 15) during a closed meeting, which, combined with the non-disclosure agreements signed by council, means the mayor could not disclose who voted and how they voted.

However, public safety minister in Victoria that the NDA covers the material that was redacted in the first report and that itB次元官网网址檚 up to council to decide if they want to disclose how the vote went.

As such, it is unclear if Coun. Rob Stutt voted during ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 in-camera meeting. On Tuesday, the Surrey Police Union, representing Surrey Police Service officers, called on Stutt to on policing in Surrey, a situation that would have potentially jeopardized the Surrey RCMPB次元官网网址檚 tenure as the cityB次元官网网址檚 police of jurisdiction.

Surrey mayor making an announcement about policing in Surrey this morning (June 16) at city hall.

B次元官网网址� Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader)

In February, the union filed a complaint with the commissioner alleging conflict-of-interest on StuttB次元官网网址檚 part. Its president Rob Stewart issued a statement charging that Stutt voted to end the transition to Surrey Police Service from the Surrey RCMP without disclosing that his son is employed by the Surrey RCMP and his daughter is seconded from the City of Surrey and assigned to the RCMP. Nor did Stutt recuse himself, Steward stated.

After taking a few questions during FridayB次元官网网址檚 announcement, the mayorB次元官网网址檚 staff tried to end the press conference but that was met with resistance from one frustrated reporter, who decried a lack of information from the mayor.

Locke then answered several more questions.

When asked about costs to retain RCMP, Locke said those numbers werenB次元官网网址檛 available but added, B次元官网网址渙bviously millions.B次元官网网址�

Meanwhile, Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis called ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 behind-closed-doors council decision to keep the RCMP B次元官网网址渁n insultB次元官网网址� to the people of Surrey.

B次元官网网址淚t muzzled councillors and any open opposition,B次元官网网址� Annis said. B次元官网网址淚t makes the decision a personal face-off between the mayor and the province of British Columbia.B次元官网网址�

She said the in-camera meeting is not a good look when transparency has been an ongoing issue throughout the transition process.

B次元官网网址淐ouncillors were only told late Wednesday about the in-camera meeting, when we were handed a 400-page city staff report and given only hours to read it,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淣o transparency, no community involvement, no agreement between the city and the province on the facts. It was followed by yesterdayB次元官网网址檚 rushed in-camera meeting that muzzled all of us who were there.B次元官网网址�

Annis, who campaigned on having a referendum on the divisive issue, said the whole issue was bungled from the start.

B次元官网网址淲hen it comes to policing and the police transition, we did it all wrong, and our taxpayers are on the hook to pay the bill with nothing to show for it.B次元官网网址�

IB次元官网网址檓 stunned and disappointed in this short sighted decision.
Surrey needs its own Police Force.

B次元官网网址� Jude Hannah (@studiojude)

The fiscal irresponsibility of this whole mess is going to haunt Surrey for years. Reversing this decision with the amount of money that had already been invested was asinine, even if you think the decision to create an SPD in the first was also wrong.

B次元官网网址� Gord Randall (@GARandall)

Mission Accomplished.
Thank you and Council for keeping public safety first and foremost.

B次元官网网址� Jack Hundial (@JackHundial)

The Surrey Board of Trade said LockeB次元官网网址檚 announcement means the city can hopefully move on.

B次元官网网址淭he Surrey Board of Trade is pleased with the final decision to retain the Surrey RCMP as SurreyB次元官网网址檚 public safety infrastructure,B次元官网网址� said Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman. B次元官网网址淣ow we must work in a co-operative, professional and respectful way to focus on moving forward and paying proactive attention to other important economic and infrastructure priorities.B次元官网网址�

The next steps will be critical for Surrey, she added.

B次元官网网址淲e will be monitoring the situation closely to ensure the transition back is efficient so that the business community can receive the best public safety service possible.B次元官网网址�

With files from Tom Zytaruk

newsroom@surreynowleader.com
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