THE Surrey Police Service (SPS) is launching a multi-pronged community consultation initiative that will continue throughout the summer. The feedback gathered through this initial consultation will inform the SPS’s first strategic plan and lay the foundation for ongoing engagement and dialogue with the community.

The SPS has contracted independent research experts to create and execute a three-part consultation process, which will include a survey, stakeholder interviews, and focus groups. This consultation is designed to provide SPS and the community with information on the expectations the public has of SPS, the challenges and opportunities that will inform SPS’s priorities and resource allocation, and how to create and enhance sustainable and impactful police-community partnerships.

Beginning today (Tuesday), letters will be sent out inviting community stakeholders to participate in interview sessions, which will be conducted by an independent research group and senior SPS staff. The interviews will be centered on the role of the police and the community, the identification of policing priorities, and police accountability.

Within the next month, Insights West Market Research will deliver a policing and public safety survey to a sample size that is deemed statistically accurate for the population of Surrey. Survey participation will also be representative of Surrey’s six town centres.

In the third phase of this initial consultation, several focus groups will be held to give community residents from various diverse communities an opportunity to share their lived experience of policing and public safety. Focus group participants will be selected in consultation with community stakeholders.

The results of this three-part community consultation will be shared with the community later this year.  SPS and the Surrey Police Board will use the findings to develop the first strategic plan for SPS this fall.

The Surrey Police Service says it is committed to continued community engagement and is continually seeking different and innovative ways in which to allow citizens to have their voices heard. Next year, SPS plans to launch an online stakeholder engagement service to allow broad participation through simple but effective technology. Citizens can expect community engagement in various forms to be an integral part of the SPS’s approach.

Chief Constable Norm Lipinski said: “The Surrey Police Service is committed to ensuring that the community informs and directs the priorities of policing in Surrey. A cornerstone of our service is the community policing model which requires a collaborative approach to public safety and the fostering of community partnerships. This project represents the initial effort of the SPS to engage with the community and is the first of what will be an ongoing dialogue with all community stakeholders.”