SURREY Mayor Doug McCallum while expressing disappointment at the latest crime statistics released on Thursday, said that it didn’t surprise him.
He noted: “Over the last year, I have spoken to many members of our community. From residents to business owners, the one message that I have constantly heard is that people continue to feel unsafe in our city. Unfortunately, the third quarter crime statistics backs up what the people of Surrey have been telling me.”
McCallum said: “Our RCMP members are doing the best job they can, but it is clear from what I have heard from our citizens that Surrey would benefit from having its own police department. I continue to urge the Solicitor General to make this a top priority and that we work as quickly as possible to establish the Surrey Police Department.”
Surrey RCMP stats:
Surrey RCMP’s crime statistics for the third quarter of this year show a six-per-cent increase in the total number of Criminal Code Offences over the second quarter: from 12,063 to 11,396.
Violent crimes were up five per cent: from 2,092 to 2,189 from 2,092. Homicides increased by 67 per cent: from three to five. Attempted murders were up 167 per cent: from three to eight. Robberies increased by 72 per cent: from 60 to 103. Sexual offences, however, decreased by 14 per cent: from 147 to 127.Assaults were up by one per cent: from 1,067 to 1,077. Abductions / kidnappings increased by 24 per cent: from 17 to 21.
Among other categories, property crime was up 10 per cent, but auto theft decreased by seven per cent.
http://surrey.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2202&languageId=1&contentId=59667
Majority of Surrey residents don’t support transitioning to municipal police force.
It is a dangerous and nonsensical course that Mayor McCallum is taking for our city with his Surrey Police Department proposal. It was rushed to the BC Provincial Solicitor General without input from the public or even his own councillors who are defecting.
During the last two weeks McCallum’s staged ‘consultation’ events in Surrey were actually ‘show and tell’, with a fake police car and colouring and stickers for the children. I expected on a proposal of this gravity to be able to present and to hear briefs in public forums. The pushback is undeniable. We dismayed citizens are flocking to sign Ivan Scott’s ‘Keep the RCMP’ petition which at present exceed approximately 25,000 signatures.
The fact remains that McCallum won the election on this promise. Whether the provincial government approves the transition will depend on a viable plan being brought forth by the teams involved in this process. Meanwhile, people will indulge in their politics, of course … nothing new!