The Surrey Police Board is pleased with Minister Farnworth’s decision to confirm the continued transition to a municipal independent police service for Surrey. Surrey Police Service, with the leadership of Chief Lipinski and the oversight of the Board has worked diligently to establish itself as a bona fide police service in British Columbia.

Now the second largest municipal police service in BC and with a confirmed mandate from the Minister, SPS will continue to work towards assuming police of jurisdiction status, taking over responsibility for policing from the RCMP who have served the city under a policing contract.

The Board acknowledges the professionalism and integrity of all SPS sworn and civilian staff, City of Surrey support staff and the members of the RCMP who have continued to work through uncertainty regarding the future. The Board would like to thank the residents of Surrey who have had incredible patience during this historical and highly complex transition. “From the day the unanimous motion was passed by City Council in 2018 until the day the Minister confirmed the transition to SPS, there have been challenges. We are glad to put this uncertainty behind us and move forward in partnership with Surrey’s residents and business owners and City of Surrey elected officials and staff,” says Jessie Sunner, Vice Chair of the Surrey Police Board.

“The preservation of public safety has been the cornerstone of this project and we are glad the Board and SPS can continue to focus efforts on building a modern and accountable approach to the delivery of police services for Surrey,” Vice Chair Sunner continued.

The Board will continue to work with all partners in ensuring a safe, effective, and efficient transition.