October 13, 2023
Surrey, B.C. — Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President and CEO, National Police Federation, in response to today’s announcement of the City of Surrey’s legal challenge on the imposed police transition:
“We support today’s announcement by the City of Surrey to challenge the provincial government’s imposition of a police service on the City. The NPF agrees municipalities should have the sole decision-making authority to select their police service, as set out in the BC Police Act. Since its inception, the decision to transition to a municipal police service in Surrey has been entirely political and not about public safety or the excellent policing services our Members provide to Surrey residents.
Since 2020, the NPF has been assisting Surrey residents in better understanding the little-known public facts surrounding the police transition so they could have a voice. At the same time, our Members have been caught in the middle of this boondoggle for far too long, living and working under a cloud of uncertainty since 2018. Despite the unprecedented events of the past few years, Surrey RCMP Members continue to serve the residents of Surrey with pride and demonstrate unparalleled policing services.
Currently, there remain several unknowns regarding the Surrey police transition including the lack of a joint HR Plan to guide deployments and demobilization and the lack of legal frameworks to support RCMP Members serving under a municipal police department command.
Given this uncertainty and lack of any clear end date, we will continue to work with the RCMP to ensure all Surrey RCMP Members are supported in their career aspirations. Those who wish to move out of Surrey and police other locations within or outside of B.C. should have an opportunity to do so expediently. The NPF is confident the Surrey RCMP, with the full support of our Members, will ensure adequate staffing levels and continue to effectively serve Surrey residents while the RCMP remains police of jurisdiction.”
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) represents ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally. It is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada and second largest in North America. We are focused on improving public safety in Canada for our Members and all Canadians by advocating for investment in policing and other related supports and services. This includes calling for required resourcing, equipment, and supports to enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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Media contacts:
Sarah Kavanagh
Coordinator, Media Relations
[email protected]
(604) 842-6864
