SURREY Police Service Chief Constable Norm Lipinski in a message to Surrey residents on Wednesday stressed that “from day one, Surrey Police Service has been designed for Surrey, adding: “You can see it in the people we have hired, how we communicate, and what we prioritize in our daily work.”

Regarding Surrey City Council’s attempt to reverse the ongoing policing transition, Lipinski noted: “This is an unprecedented situation where a police agency was approved and stood up over two years ago, and now Council is seeking to reverse course and shut down a police agency with 375 employees who joined SPS in good faith.”

Here is the full text of Lipinski’s message: 

As 2022 comes to a close and Surrey Police Service (SPS) finishes its second year, I am reminded that sometimes you have to take a moment to look back to see how far you have come. SPS has indeed come a long way in twelve short months.

Our staff team has doubled in the past year and our number of officers deployed to answer calls for service has gone from just 29 to 187. Collectively, these officers have responded to thousands of calls for service – saving lives, protecting the vulnerable, conducting investigations, and helping to make Surrey safer. The rest of our team has been busy either training in preparation for deployment, or building the extensive infrastructure required for a new police agency.

This year also marked a number of other milestones for SPS including the release of our first strategic plan, which was informed by community consultation; welcoming our first two classes of Recruit Constables; and the implementation of the SPS-RCMP Human Resources Plan to guide phase one of the policing transition.

However, our greatest accomplishment this year has been our extensive engagement with Surrey residents, youth, and diverse community groups. SPS officers frequently engage with the public while out on patrol, and our Community Policing Bureau staff conduct regular community consultation meetings to further inform the development of our community policing model. Over 600 community engagements have been conducted in 2022 – and this is only the beginning.

While we have made great progress on the policing transition this past year, we unfortunately end the year with some uncertainty as the City of Surrey explores their options for policing.

Surrey City Council recently voted to submit the City’s Plan to Retain the RCMP as the Police of Jurisdiction in Surrey to the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General for his consideration. I am concerned that the assumptions and omissions in the report do not provide residents with an accurate picture of their options for the future of policing in Surrey. You can read more in our December 12th news release.

There are a number of reasons why large municipalities such as Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto choose to have their own municipal police service, instead of contracting the RCMP. Ultimately, the choice to have a municipal police agency is about increased accountability and responsiveness. While the cost is often slightly higher to a municipality, the benefits of municipal policing are significant.

From day one, Surrey Police Service has been designed for Surrey. You can see it in the people we have hired, how we communicate, and what we prioritize in our daily work. If we are fortunate enough to become Surrey’s police of jurisdiction, you will see it reflected in the programs we will offer to keep you and your families safe, our responsiveness to local issues, and the long-term relationships our officers will build within the community.

This is an unprecedented situation where a police agency was approved and stood up over two years ago, and now Council is seeking to reverse course and shut down a police agency with 375 employees who joined SPS in good faith. This is a difficult situation for the employees of both SPS and the Surrey RCMP. I think it is safe to say that we are all hopeful for a prompt, but carefully considered decision by the Minister early in the new year.

I wish all Surrey residents and business owners a peaceful and safe holiday season, and I thank you for the support and input you have provided to SPS in 2022.