NOW we have another former senior RCMP officer – Peter German – trying to scare (actually, “intimidate” would be a more apt word to use) people to ditch a Surrey Police Department in an article in a mainstream newspaper.
The RCMP have developed such a vested interest in maintaining their police empire in Surrey that they are using every desperate tactic to sabotage the DEMOCRATIC process. It is an utter disgrace.
Let us just present the facts that we published once again on May 30 to expose their undemocratic behaviour and hypocrisy. Here is a part of that article:
THE anti-Surrey Police Department forces are still desperately making undemocratic demands and resorting to dirty tactics, including trying to take full advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis to scare Surrey-ites into keeping the RCMP in Surrey.
What is seen as indirect political interference by the RCMP is causing great resentment and Canadians are wondering why the RCMP bosses in B.C. and Ottawa are keeping mum. Is it because, as many Canadians suspect, they are encouraging if not actually directing this movement? For example, just recently a former senior RCMP officer indulged in a vicious personal attack against [Surrey Mayor Doug] McCallum. Quite obviously he must have got clearance from the RCMP bosses to reveal confidential matters.
Of course, if the RCMP bosses are hiding their heads in the sand once again, it will not come as any surprise to Canadians who are still reeling from the horrific sexual harassment that RCMP female officers and municipal staff experienced for decades until it suddenly blew up in their face. In fact, the millions and millions of dollars that we taxpayers have to pay now to the victims of these accused male RCMP officers would have more than covered all the expenses for the transition to a Surrey Police Force plus the hiring of many more officers.
Here are the facts:
1. Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum and seven of his Safe Surrey Coalition members won the election fair and square on the pledge that they would form a Surrey police force to replace the RCMP. In fact, all the eight new Councillors, including the lone one from Surrey First, voted to ditch the RCMP at the very first Council meeting.
2. The Police Act says that any city with a population of more than 5,000 can decide what type of police force they want. So, when the City of Surrey approached the Provincial Government with its proposal, the latter had no option but to give the go-ahead. In spite of three Councillors ditching McCallum’s group, the mayor still controls the majority vote in Surrey Council.
3. Among the tactics that the pro-RCMP forces started resorting to was the call for a referendum on the change in policing. However, legally, only the City can authorize such a referendum – the Province or the federal government cannot. Yet despite this fact, the RCMP bosses have been apparently inciting their supporters to carry on with that demand.
I have been a Surrey Resident for 80 years. Doug McCallum and attended the same High school. I cannot see why he wants to scrap a perfectly functioning police force. I voted for Doug and must say I will rue the day that I did. I like and want the RCMP. They are neighbours as well as police. The money wasted on first, the trying to keep out Ride hailing and now the massive waste of trying to change the police force. It will not bode well and the cost to the taxpayer, who had no voice in the matter, will be astronomical. Doug give your head a shake and take it to referendum. This is still a democracy. What are you afraid of, what you already know to be the truth and that is the majority of residence do NOT want a change in Police.
By the way, democracies are not run by referendums. Did any past mayor hold a referendum on any issue with their brute majorities? Also, the way pro-RCMP forces have stooped so low in their tactics, has put off many people. McCallum won fair and square and he has the right to go ahead with a Surrey Police Department.