City of Surrey to challenge constitutionality of provincial police transition
The City of Surrey is amending its petition in the Supreme Court of British Columbia to challenge the constitutionality of the Province’s recent amendments to the Police Act.
Surrey, B.C. – The City of Surrey is amending its petition in the Supreme Court of British Columbia to challenge the constitutionality of the Province’s recent amendments to the Police Act.
“The province continues to take drastic measures to force Surrey into an expensive police transition, now removing civilian and local oversight of policing in spite of the will of voters and their elected government,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “This takeover of policing by the province will cost Surrey taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, and result in a double-digit, NDP imposed tax increase.”
Over the next decade, the province’s police transition is estimated to cost at least $464 million with no additional public safety benefit to the residents of Surrey.
“When I was elected, I was given a mandate to end this expensive and disorganized police transition, and the NDP are telling Surrey voters that their voice doesn’t matter,” added Locke. “Today, we are expanding our legal petition because Surrey taxpayers simply cannot afford the province’s police takeover.”
Stay up to date on Surrey’s plan to retain the Surrey RCMP at surrey.ca/policing.
Please see below for a copy of the letter from Mayor Locke to Minister Mike Farnworth as well as the amended petition.