THE Surrey Police Service (SPS) says it continues to focus on hiring employees who reflect the diversity of Surrey. To date, it has hired 209 sworn officers and civilian employees, with over 40% coming from culturally diverse backgrounds.

SPS also continues to recruit a strong representation of women in the organization with its focus on family, parental leave, and wellness. Women currently make up 26% of SPS employees (some pictured here during SPS’s recent celebration of International Women’s Day). 

Hiring for SPS’s Community Policing Bureau at the Constable and Sergeant ranks also continues. With all of its spring and early summer onboarding classes now full, SPS is currently hiring experienced officers for its August and September onboarding classes. For those who want to help build SPS and take advantage of the internal promotional and specialized opportunities in the years ahead, now is the time to apply.

Last week, SPS Chief Constable Norm Lipinski presented 24 experienced officers with their graduation certificates, as they completed their onboarding training. These officers have been assigned to support the development of SPS in a variety of roles while they await operational deployment in Surrey.

Major Milestone: First Collective Agreement Reached

Earlier this month, the Surrey Police Board and the Surrey Police Union (SPU), which represents the sworn police officers of Surrey Police Service (SPS), reached their first collective agreement. This significant milestone provides SPS police officers, from the rank of Constable to Staff Sergeant, with an employment package that focuses on employee wellness and competitive compensation.

The collective agreement will be in effect until December 31, 2024. Highlights of the agreement are available online, and the full collective agreement will be posted on the Surrey Police Board website by mid-April.

Community Engagement

From its deployed officers engaging with the public while out on patrol, and its Community Policing Bureau staff conducting regular community consultation meetings, community engagement is a significant focus of SPS. Recent highlights included a visit to Sikh Academy School, a virtual meeting between the Chief’s office and the Métis Nation British Columbia, and a visit to the Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib by Lipinski.

A cornerstone of SPS community engagement is giving back to the community. At the end of February, sworn and civilian employees participated in the Coldest Night of the Year walk to raise funds for Cloverdale Community Kitchen. The SPS team raised over $2,300 which will help support people and families experiencing homelessness, hurt and hunger in the community.

On March 16, a number of SPS officers – including Lipinski – were to take the plunge for BC Special Olympics as part of the annual Polar Plunge fundraising event. This event helps to support programming and activities for an inclusive community. Surrey Police Service | PolarPlunge SOBC (crowdchange.ca).

This fall, five SPS officers will be riding in the Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley to raise funds for childhood cancer research. Training has already begun and you can support the SPS team here: Cops for Cancer Tour De Valley.

Policing Transition

Surrey’s transition to a municipal police service is underway. The SPS says it remains committed to a seamless transition where the safety and wellbeing of the public and policing personnel remain the highest priority. SPS, the Surrey Police Board and the Province of BC all provide regular updates on the progress of the policing transition on their respective websites.