Surrey city council has voted to retain the RCMP as its police of jurisdiction.

In what she called a 91裸聊视频渞eturn to normalcy91裸聊视频� in the city, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke made the announcement during a press conference that became testy Friday morning at city hall.

91裸聊视频淪urrey needs a final answer on policing and Surrey council has decided, with a vote held yesterday, to retain the RCMP as our police force of jurisdiction,91裸聊视频� she said.

Locke said council made their vote during a 91裸聊视频渟pecial council agenda91裸聊视频� Thursday (June 15) during a closed meeting, which, combined with the non-disclosure agreements signed by council, means the mayor could not disclose who voted and how they voted.

However, public safety minister in Victoria that the NDA covers the material that was redacted in the first report and that it91裸聊视频檚 up to council to decide if they want to disclose how the vote went.

As such, it is unclear if Coun. Rob Stutt voted during Thursday91裸聊视频檚 in-camera meeting. On Tuesday, the Surrey Police Union, representing Surrey Police Service officers, called on Stutt to on policing in Surrey, a situation that would have potentially jeopardized the Surrey RCMP91裸聊视频檚 tenure as the city91裸聊视频檚 police of jurisdiction.

Surrey mayor making an announcement about policing in Surrey this morning (June 16) at city hall.

91裸聊视频� Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader)

In February, the union filed a complaint with the commissioner alleging conflict-of-interest on Stutt91裸聊视频檚 part. Its president Rob Stewart issued a statement charging that Stutt voted to end the transition to Surrey Police Service from the Surrey RCMP without disclosing that his son is employed by the Surrey RCMP and his daughter is seconded from the City of Surrey and assigned to the RCMP. Nor did Stutt recuse himself, Steward stated.

After taking a few questions during Friday91裸聊视频檚 announcement, the mayor91裸聊视频檚 staff tried to end the press conference but that was met with resistance from one frustrated reporter, who decried a lack of information from the mayor.

Locke then answered several more questions.

When asked about costs to retain RCMP, Locke said those numbers weren91裸聊视频檛 available but added, 91裸聊视频渙bviously millions.91裸聊视频�

Meanwhile, Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis called Thursday91裸聊视频檚 behind-closed-doors council decision to keep the RCMP 91裸聊视频渁n insult91裸聊视频� to the people of Surrey.

91裸聊视频淚t muzzled councillors and any open opposition,91裸聊视频� Annis said. 91裸聊视频淚t makes the decision a personal face-off between the mayor and the province of British Columbia.91裸聊视频�

She said the in-camera meeting is not a good look when transparency has been an ongoing issue throughout the transition process.

91裸聊视频淐ouncillors were only told late Wednesday about the in-camera meeting, when we were handed a 400-page city staff report and given only hours to read it,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淣o transparency, no community involvement, no agreement between the city and the province on the facts. It was followed by yesterday91裸聊视频檚 rushed in-camera meeting that muzzled all of us who were there.91裸聊视频�

Annis, who campaigned on having a referendum on the divisive issue, said the whole issue was bungled from the start.

91裸聊视频淲hen it comes to policing and the police transition, we did it all wrong, and our taxpayers are on the hook to pay the bill with nothing to show for it.91裸聊视频�

I91裸聊视频檓 stunned and disappointed in this short sighted decision.
Surrey needs its own Police Force.

91裸聊视频� Jude Hannah (@studiojude)

The fiscal irresponsibility of this whole mess is going to haunt Surrey for years. Reversing this decision with the amount of money that had already been invested was asinine, even if you think the decision to create an SPD in the first was also wrong.

91裸聊视频� Gord Randall (@GARandall)

Mission Accomplished.
Thank you and Council for keeping public safety first and foremost.

91裸聊视频� Jack Hundial (@JackHundial)

The Surrey Board of Trade said Locke91裸聊视频檚 announcement means the city can hopefully move on.

91裸聊视频淭he Surrey Board of Trade is pleased with the final decision to retain the Surrey RCMP as Surrey91裸聊视频檚 public safety infrastructure,91裸聊视频� said Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman. 91裸聊视频淣ow we must work in a co-operative, professional and respectful way to focus on moving forward and paying proactive attention to other important economic and infrastructure priorities.91裸聊视频�

The next steps will be critical for Surrey, she added.

91裸聊视频淲e will be monitoring the situation closely to ensure the transition back is efficient so that the business community can receive the best public safety service possible.91裸聊视频�

With files from Tom Zytaruk

newsroom@surreynowleader.com
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