Surrey Police Service

An operational budget of $184 million was planned for the fiscal year 2021, while another $63.7 million was budgeted over five years from 2020 to 2024 to complete the transition from the RCMP.[4]

There will be five SPS districts, aligned with the city of Surrey neighbourhood boundaries. A District Inspector will manage each district.[15] The Metro Team will be a flexible unit responsible for a citywide patrol.

• District 1 (City Centre/Whalley)
• District 2 (Fleetwood/Guildford)
• District 3 (Newton)
• District 4 (Cloverdale)
• District 5 (South Surrey)
• Metro Team (Citywide Patrol)

SPS maintains three bureaus, each managed by a Deputy Chief Constable:[15][16]

Community Policing Bureau

• Patrol Section
• Patrol Support Section
• Diversity and Community Support Section
• Detention Services Section
• Operations Communications Centre

Investigative Services Bureau

• Major Crime Section
• Organized Crime Section
• Special Investigations Section
• Property Crime Section
• Analysis and Investigations Support Section

Support Services Bureau

• Human Resources Section
• Professional Standards Section
• Recruiting and Training Section
• Information Management Section
• Financial Services Section
• Planning and Research Section

The National Police Federation (NPF), the bargaining agent representing 20,000 RCMP officers across Canada, and some community members raised opposition to the establishment of a municipal police force on the basis of risks, costs, and low approval ratings according to studies commissioned by the NPF.[17][18] The two groups attempted to force a province-wide referendum on the issue in 2021, but failed to secure enough signatures for the vote to proceed.[19]

In early 2021, Mayor Doug McCallum claimed that the NPF used "unethical publicity stunts" and "racist elements" to politicize the transition.[20][21] In September of that year, the NPF attempted to trademark five Surrey Police-related brands, including "Surrey Police Department," "Surrey Police Board," and "Surrey Police Union."[22]

Jeff Shantz, a professor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University,[23] accused the NPF of astroturfing community opposition to the Surrey Police Service, citing the close relationship between strategists hired by supposedly community-based organizations and the NPF.[24]

The Surrey Police Service planned to hire 400 officers in 2022. It was accused of poaching officers from other municipal police forces as it rapidly expanded and recruited experienced officers from 18 police forces.[25] In 2022, the Service entered into its first contract with the Surrey Police Union, which included agreements that new recruits would be among the highest-paid in the country and a parity clause that ensured that annual raises would match those of the nearby Vancouver Police Department.[26]

With the 2022 Surrey Mayoral Election, Brenda Locke was elected as mayor of Surrey with 28% of the total votes, beating incumbent Doug McCallum by under 1,000 votes.[27] During the campaigns, the pro-RCMP group endorsed Locke, which she was the only candidate out of five mayoral candidates with the platform to disband Surrey Police Service and revert to RCMP contract policing. Locke's party also claimed that the city could save up to $521 million over four years.[28][29] After being elected, Locke's council voted 6-3 to stop and reverse the transition, but under provincial law, the transition could not be halted until the province approved the reversal plan.[30]

In February 2023, Locke proposed a 17.5% property tax hike, of which a 9.5% increase was earmarked for police transitioning.[31] After criticism, Locke announced using the one-time provincial Growing Communities Fund to reduce the proposed tax increase to 12.5%.[32][33] BC Premier David Eby weighed in that Surrey's decision to use the Growing Communities Fund might be shortsighted as the funding is a one-time grant intended for community infrastructure expansion such as recreational facilities and water-treatment plants for municipalities where the province will be mandating a minimum housing supply target.[34][35]

On April 5, 2023, Locke released a statement that Surrey's decision to retain the Surrey RCMP was unanimously approved by Metro Vancouver Mayor's Committee.[36] However, the statement was immediately refuted as false statement by Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, some of Surrey city councillors, and the other mayors present at the meeting.[37][38]

On April 28, 2023, the provincial government recommended that the city retain the Surrey Police Service, citing concerns that restaffing the Surrey RCMP would destabilize RCMP staffing across the province and issues around the quality of RCMP service in general.[30] Because the province cannot compel a municipality to maintain any particular police service under the province's Police Act, Public Safety Minister Farnworth instead promised to fund the remainder of the transition to the SPS. No funding would be provided if the city decides to continue to revert back to the RCMP.[30]