13.74°C Vancouver

Nov 11, 2022 1:07 AM - The Canadian Press

94% of municipal police in Surrey, B.C., sign vow not to join 'toxic' RCMP: union

Share On
94-of-municipal-police-in-surrey-b-c-sign-vow-not-to-join-toxic-rcmp-union
The union representing members of the fledgling Surrey Police Service says its officers and civilian workers have "no intention" of joining the RCMP, should the municipal force be scrapped. (Photo - The Canadian Press)

The union representing members of the fledgling Surrey Police Service says its officers and civilian workers have "no intention" of joining the RCMP, should the municipal force be scrapped.

A statement from the Surrey Police Union says 94 per cent of its members have signed a pledge to refuse to apply to, or join, the Mounties, if newly elected Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke makes good on a campaign promise to cancel the city's switch from the national police force to a municipal one.

The union says it issued the statement after a media interview quoted Locke as saying she is working on a plan with the RCMP to ensure police union officers and civilian staff will be "cared for" if the municipal force can be disbanded.

The union says 275 of its 293 front-line officers have signed a statement rejecting any jump to what the pledge card describes as a "toxic" RCMP work environment that includes "a lack of local decision making, instability with regards to staying in Surrey and an absence of accountability."

Union president Rick Stewart says Locke's suspected hiring plan "shows no regard" for the will of the union members.

Transition to the Surrey Police Service has been underway since 2021 after former mayor Doug McCallum won provincial approval to form the municipal force, which he argued will be more responsive to local issues.

The union says, following Locke's latest comments, its members voluntarily signed a pledge that includes the statement "I joined in good faith to contribute to Surrey, yet a highly divisive political climate is directly impacting my personal and professional lives."

"The attraction of working for a Surrey-based municipal police force remains as one of the main factors behind our successful recruitment thus far," Stewart says of members who left jobs in other police detachments to work in the city.

He says Locke's plan doesn't address those concerns.

"If Mayor Locke truly wants to take a people-centric approach to policing, we remain open to collaboration, transparency and accountability in support of the best interests of Surrey residents," says Stewart.

Latest news

quebec-plans-new-law-to-ban-religious-symbols-in-daycare-centres
CanadaOct 23, 2025

Quebec plans new law to ban religious symbols in daycare centres

The Quebec government is moving to prohibit the wearing of religious symbols in the province’s daycare centres, expanding its existing secularism policies in early childhood settings. Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge said there is broad public agreement that Quebec’s commitment to secular values should be reinforced. The decision follows recommendations made earlier this year by a provincial advisory committee that studied ways to strengthen secularism laws. Quebec’s current legislation already restricts public employees in positions of authority, including teachers, police off
alberta-government-plans-back-to-work-legislation-as-teachers-strike-enters-third-week
AlbertaOct 23, 2025

Alberta government plans back-to-work legislation as teachers’ strike enters third week

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government will introduce back-to-work legislation on Monday if no deal is reached to end the provincewide teachers’ strike. Smith said the walkout, now in its third week, has caused “intolerable hardship” for students and families, adding that the government cannot allow the disruption to continue. The strike has shut down classrooms for about 51,000 teachers and 750,000 students in public, separate, and francophone schools across the province. While formal negotiations between the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the province are not currently
superintendent-peri-mainwaring-appointed-new-head-of-north-vancouver-rcmp
BCOct 23, 2025

Superintendent Peri Mainwaring appointed new head of North Vancouver RCMP

The North Vancouver RCMP has a new Officer-in-Charge. Superintendent Peri Mainwaring has been appointed to lead the detachment, bringing more than three decades of policing experience with the RCMP. Mainwaring began her career in Saskatchewan and has served in municipal, provincial and federal roles across the country. Before her latest promotion, she was the Community Programs Officer with the Burnaby RCMP, where she helped strengthen community safety initiatives and led work on mental health and crisis intervention. Her connection to North Vancouver is longstanding — Mainwaring previously
pm-modi-invites-canadian-pm-to-new-delhi
CanadaOct 23, 2025

PM Modi invites Canadian PM to New Delhi

India has invited Prime Minister Mark Carney to New Delhi early in the new year for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This could pave the way for a new economic relationship and a free trade agreement between the two countries. India's High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Kumar Patnaik said that a sincere effort is being made by the two leaders to improve diplomatic relations and increase trade and investment opportunities amid the tariff war with the US. Patnaik said that if the two countries negotiate a far-reaching agreement, annual trade between Canada and India could cross $50-billio
interior-health-testing-virtual-emergency-care-to-support-rural-hospitals
BCOct 23, 2025

Interior Health testing virtual emergency care to support rural hospitals

Interior Health is planning a pilot project that would use virtual emergency care to help keep small hospitals in British Columbia’s Interior open during staffing shortages. The proposal would link hospitals in Clearwater, Nakusp, Lillooet, and Princeton, allowing physicians to share responsibilities through a combination of on-site and remote support. Interior Health says the four facilities face similar challenges, with low overnight patient volumes but frequent service interruptions due to limited staffing. The health authority says it is consulting with local doctors and staff to determi

Related News