May 3, 2024
Surrey, BC – Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President and CEO of the National Police Federation, regarding unproven and anonymous allegations against Surrey RCMP Members.
“The unproven and one-sided allegations outlined in the latest media and courtroom attack by the Surrey Police Service (SPS) are opportunistically timed to attempt to influence the ongoing City of Surrey vs. Province of B.C. court case and a blatant attempt at unfounded character assassination towards our Members in Surrey. This sits, in large part, at the Province’s feet due to mismanagement in the bungled, protracted, and politicized policing transition.
Many of these unproven allegations are part of an ongoing collective grievance before impartial and independent arbitration, while others are conveniently being publicly surfaced this week with no details: unproven and anonymous. The NPF is not a party to the arbitration, initially scheduled for December.
The NPF and the RCMP take harassment allegations seriously and welcome formal complaints through fair and proper processes. Everyone deserves a healthy work environment, and we encourage SPS and RCMP officers who feel they have valid complaints to follow established procedures. Unfortunately, the SPS has chosen the court of public opinion.
For over a year and a half, SPS management, the SPS union and the Surrey Police Board have asserted a smear campaign against Surrey RCMP Members, repeating the same allegations of a toxic workplace while also refusing to provide any necessary information that would facilitate a proper investigation. As is standard practice in any investigative case, the review should include interviews with parties on all sides, consideration of all evidence, and resolution: either for the complainant if true or dismissal if unfounded. And the investigation should be confidential until a conclusion is reached to respect and protect all parties. Instead, our Members received no notice, no disclosure and no findings have been made against them.
For over five years, our Members – and more recently officers with the Surrey Police Service – have been working in an untenable and unprecedented political firestorm, perpetuated by the Province’s lack of planning and clear timelines including an end date, that the City of Surrey has said they do not want and can’t afford. This lack of clarity, combined with ongoing negative rhetoric against the RCMP from the B.C. Ministry of Public Safety, directly feeds the low morale seen across the policing landscape in Surrey. Our Members, too, have been harassed and disrespected on many fronts and yet they continue to professionally serve the people of Surrey.
We will continue to support our Members and stand up for them throughout this process as we work towards ensuring they can move forward in their careers to their next postings as expeditiously as possible.”
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) represents ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally. We are the largest police union in Canada. The NPF is focused on improving public safety for all Canadians, including our Members by advocating for much-needed investment in the public safety continuum. This includes investments in police resourcing and modern equipment, as well as social programs including health, addiction, and housing supports to enhance safety and livability in the many communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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Media Contact
Sarah Kavanagh
Advisor, Media Relations
[email protected]
(604) 842-6864
