THE Surrey Police Union (SPU) on Wednesday noted that the final report from the City of Surrey’s Ethics Commissioner determined Councillor Rob Stutt was in a conflict of interest in his vote in favour of the RCMP.

This report concluded the inquiry that had been launched by the SPU to investigate the conflict as Stutt’s son was a member of the Surrey RCMP.

Rick Stewart, SPU President, said:“Our goal was to make the process as transparent and fair as possible. The vote on policing in Surrey is critical and should be clear of any bias to focus on the only issue that matters, safety in Surrey,”

He pointed out that the Ethics Commissioner’s report states: “There was a personal interest in the matter under consideration that a reasonably well-informed person would have concluded might influence a member of Council in Councillor Stutt’s position.”

Stewart said: “This critical vote on November 14, 2022 changed the trajectory of the last seven months. Surrey residents deserve an apology for his disrespect to his office and compromised integrity at City Hall.”
He added that Stutt is also the Chair of the Public Safety Committee and should be mindful of potential conflicts in the future.
He noted that days after the SPU submitted the inquiry to the Ethics Commissioner’s office, Stutt’s son was transferred out of Surrey.
The SPU said: “The Mayor’s office has strategically kept silent with no comment to the public on this critical issue. Decisions around policing must be made with transparency and ethics. We must move forward in the best interests of Surrey residents. The Surrey Police Union looks forward to receiving a final decision from [Public Safety] Minister Farnworth regarding the policing transition.”