Surrey Police Board Should Address Unanswered Questions About Surrey Mayor’s Costly Transition plan, Says NPF!

Lawyer Jaspreet Sunner and Manav Gill, operations manager with the Fraser Health Authority are among the seven people appointed by lieutenant governor in council under section 23(1)(c) of the Police Act to the City of Surrey’s municipal police board, joining the mayor of Surrey as chair and a municipal council appointee to complete the nine-person board. The National Police Federation (NPF) is calling on the Board to finally address key unanswered questions about Mayor Doug McCallum’s costly transition plan. “Now that the Surrey Police Board is in place, members of the public will finally get some answers about this costly plan,” said Brian Sauvé, President of the NPF. “Ever since the transition was announced, members of the public have been left in the dark about the true cost of the plan, as well as key details that could have a serious impact on public safety in Surrey.”

By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada

SURREY – Two Indo-Canadians are among Surrey’s seven new appointees for the inaugural Surrey police board, which the Province appointed Monday as part of Surrey’s transition from an RCMP detachment to a municipal police department.

Lawyer Jaspreet Sunner and Manav Gill, operations manager with the Fraser Health Authority are among the seven people appointed by lieutenant governor in council under section 23(1)(c) of the Police Act to the City of Surrey’s municipal police board, joining the mayor of Surrey as chair and a municipal council appointee to complete the nine-person board.

Here is the complete list:

Chief Harley Chappell, elected Chief of the Semiahmoo First Nation

Cheney Cloke, director, Fraser Health Authority

Elizabeth Model, CEO, Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association

James Carwana, mediator and arbitrator

Jaspreet Sunner, lawyer and labour relations representative, Hospital Employees’ Union

Manav Gill, manager, clinical operations, Fraser Health Authority

Meena Brisard, regional director, Canadian Union of Public Employees

Following an extensive assessment and screening process, members were chosen by aligning individual skills, competencies and attributes with the needs and responsibilities of the board and to reflect the diversity of the community. Initial appointments will range from 12- to 18-month terms.

Under the Police Act, the board is required to establish and oversee the Surrey Police Department and is subject to oversight by the director of police services, who has a statutory responsibility to superintend policing in B.C. The board has four main governance functions: 

*employing the police and civilian employees;

*providing financial oversight for the police department;

*establishing policies and directions for the department; and

*managing service and policy complaints against the department.

The next step in the City of Surrey’s transition plan will be for the new board to hire a chief constable. Ministry staff will work with the board to assist in the transition process, including providing an orientation and training session in the coming weeks.

While the Board has now been appointed, the National Police Federation (NPF) is calling on the Board to finally address key unanswered questions about Mayor Doug McCallum’s costly transition plan.

“Now that the Surrey Police Board is in place, members of the public will finally get some answers about this costly plan,” said Brian Sauvé, President of the NPF. “Ever since the transition was announced, members of the public have been left in the dark about the true cost of the plan, as well as key details that could have a serious impact on public safety in Surrey.”

The NPF has a number of questions that the Surrey Police Board needs to answer as the body accountable to Surrey residents on matters of policing:

What is the true cost of the transition plan, including needs like infrastructure, recruitment, pensions, and IT requirements?

What important public services or infrastructure (such as libraries, recreation centres, and the Surrey Housing and Homelessness Society, all of which serve vulnerable citizens) are being cut by the City of Surrey to pay for the costly police transition?

How will the Police Board be able to 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?

How would a new Surrey police force impact the new officer training services that are already stretched at the Justice Institute of BC?

What impact will the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have on transition costs?

How will the recently announced provincial policing review consider a transition of policing in B.C.’s second largest force?

How will the new Board address the many concerning questions being raised by B.C. policing experts about the transition?

“The Surrey Police Board and its members are publicly accountable and they need to answer these key questions that the Mayor and his team have continued to dodge,” added Sauvé.  “Thousands of Surrey residents of all backgrounds have been speaking out against this plan but have been ignored. Now the Board must answer to them in a clear, accountable and transparent fashion.”

The decision by the provincial government to appoint members of the Surrey Police Board does not bind the provincial government to Surrey’s police transition. Section 23 of the Police Act provides the Minister with an ongoing authority to withhold or withdraw approval for the transition.

“Surrey has a number of critical unaddressed hurdles ahead of it on this transition, meaning the proposed April 2021 in-service goal is very much in question,” added Sauvé. “The provincial government will soon see how this significant public safety and political liability will eventually fall into their lap to fix.”

Meanwhile Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum called the announcement of the Board as “truly a historic moment in the City of Surrey

“Today’s milestone is an important one. With the Surrey Police Board now in place, we can start in earnest the critical work ahead that will set the foundation for a new, innovative, modern and proactive police service that is tailor made for Surrey,” McCallum said.

“I want to extend my sincere thanks to Premier Horgan for his support for this project.

“To Minister Farnworth, I want to thank you for the priority and attention you have given to Surrey Police every step of the way. The speed in which you and your team have worked to build this amazing Board must be duly recognized and commended.

“To the men and women of Surrey RCMP, I want to acknowledge your service and dedication to our city. I want to sincerely thank all the RCMP members who serve in our city and who have helped to build what was once a farming community into the metropolitan area that Surrey is today.”