Surrey Mayor announces new Mayor’s Working Group on Public Safety

Surrey, BC – Today, Mayor Brenda Locke is announcing a Mayor’s Working Group on Public Safety. The Working Group will have two key objectives:

• Collaborating in the effort to bring Surrey’s RCMP Detachment to full authorized strength; and
• Helping facilitate the design and implementation of Surrey’s integrated Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.

The Working Group will enhance collaboration across agencies, diverse communities and other levels of government in order to deliver a best practices approach to policing and the creation of a safe, inclusive and thriving City. 

“Now is an opportune time for all levels of government to work together to deliver services that provide citizens a safe and secure environment in which to live and work,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. “In addition to the RCMP, we are expanding our fire and rescue service and bylaw enforcement operations. Surrey is committed to a collaborative, solution-focused approach to community safety. I have been in contact with the Premier and I am pleased he has expressed support for this work. I am excited to move forward.”

Surrey has long been a leader in the development of proactive, community responsive programs. The Mayor’s Working Group on Public Safety will update and build on all of those programs.

Examples of these programs include the “Car 67” program, and the Police Mental Health Outreach Teams which includes a mental health support worker working alongside police officers. Several programs support youth and their families such as the Surrey Anti-Gang Family Empowerment (“SAFE”) program and the recently launched Surrey Youth Resiliency Program. Police-led programs such as Project Lavender, Project Mini Blue, Surrey Wraparound, Game Ready, and the Shattering the Image anti-gang project for schools provide an important way to build police prevention activities in our schools. 

Surrey RCMP are valuable partners in all of these programs and have shown they can provide modern, best-practices in urban policing. The recently re-launched the Public Safety Committee will work closely with the Mayor’s Working Group.