Transition to Municipal Police Force

[RangerRay]

Or the Province had enough of a fickle municipality making huge changes to policing in the span of four years with little overall electoral mandate, leading to chaos in policing in one of the province’s largest city.

I normally can’t stand the NDP and Doug McCallum, and have no love for the SPS, but I think the Province felt they had to impose a decision on the City since they were being so fickle after so much money had been invested in starting a new force.

Let this be a warning to other municipalities thinking of making the switch. Get a mandate from a stand alone referendum or at least get buy-in from a large swath of the community, and don’t play silly-bugger with reporting publicly the real costs of switching over.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Fickle? You mean like the BC Gov on the Toll issue? (tis pot calling kettle black) Surrey was not being fickle, it was using the democratic tools it had to argue this decision. I do agree a standalone referendum was needed. But Doug McCallum was not going to have anyone interfere with his dream. Most certainly not the taxpayer.

 

[RangerRay]

By “fickle” I mean a mayor and council elected by a small minority of eligible voters making a huge and expensive decision about policing for the community, and then 4 short years later after the transition has begun and millions of dollars being spent, another mayor and council elected by a small minority of eligible voters making a huge and expensive decision to reverse that decision. So yeah, fickle.

Look, I think McCallum is an idiot and Surrey should never have moved to get rid of the RCMP without a lot more consultation and buy-in than a municipal election with 30% turnout. And McCallum did a lot to hide the real costs of transition from Surrey taxpayers. But I don’t blame the Province when a municipality keeps changing its mind after every election what kind of police service they want.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The crisis that won't die rolls on...

B.C. suspends Surrey Police Board, names administrator​

Former Abbotsford chief constable Mike Serr named as administrator​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-suspends-surrey-police-board-names-administrator-1.7031002

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Somehow, your link to a friendly fire incident is…appropriate?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Somehow, your link to a friendly fire incident is…appropriate?

It is... if you know Surrey

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

It is... if you know Surrey

 

[RedFive]

Somehow, your link to a friendly fire incident is…appropriate?

Can confirm.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Just another episode chalked up to government as implemented by people, rather than government as dreamed of by technocrats.

 

[OldSolduer]

The crisis that won't die rolls on...

B.C. suspends Surrey Police Board, names administrator​

Former Abbotsford chief constable Mike Serr named as administrator​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-suspends-surrey-police-board-names-administrator-1.7031002

WTF is in the air out there?

 

[brihard]

WTF is in the air out there?

From my loosely following the matter, I think the province basically got fed up with the BS and legislated themselves the power to step in and appoint an administrator to unfrig things if the police services board is failing to do its job. That appears to be what happened here- the municipal government is trying to obstruct this process, so the province is steamrolling them to get it done.

Someone closer to the facts on this may correct me, but that’s my amateur take.

 

[RedFive]

From my loosely following the matter, I think the province basically got fed up with the BS and legislated themselves the power to step in and appoint an administrator to unfrig things if the police services board is failing to do its job. That appears to be what happened here- the municipal government is trying to obstruct this process, so the province is steamrolling them to get it done.

Someone closer to the facts on this may correct me, but that’s my amateur take.

Pretty much. There's lots of nuance, but yeah.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The crisis that won't die rolls on...

B.C. suspends Surrey Police Board, names administrator​

Former Abbotsford chief constable Mike Serr named as administrator​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-suspends-surrey-police-board-names-administrator-1.7031002

My guess is the City won't spend a nickel on it and make the Province do all the work.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

From my loosely following the matter, I think the province basically got fed up with the BS and legislated themselves the power to step in and appoint an administrator to unfrig things if the police services board is failing to do its job. That appears to be what happened here- the municipal government is trying to obstruct this process, so the province is steamrolling them to get it done.

Someone closer to the facts on this may correct me, but that’s my amateur take.

Well to be fair a Mayor was elected on the basis of keeping the RCMP, the Province did not like that, so they shoved their wishes down the city's throat and now are upset that the city is unwilling to go along with their edict.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Municipalities are creatures of the Province. Surrey council can continue to FAFO, but the Province holds all the cards.

 

[brihard]

Well to be fair a Mayor was elected on the basis of keeping the RCMP, the Province did not like that, so they shoved their wishes down the city's throat and now are upset that the city is unwilling to go along with their edict.

It’s been back and forth between a couple of administrations now. The province has the legal onus to ensure the proper administration of Justice and that a jurisdiction has effective policing services. In most cases, devolving that to municipalities works fine. In this case it’s turned into political ping pong, so the province appears to be willing to use its power to impose a final answer on the matter.

Municipalities get all of their legal status and power from enabling provincial legislation. BC appears to be reminding Surrey of this.

Frankly, my personal opinion only- I have no idea why a city of half a million (officially- to say nothing of further residents living in off the books suites) should be policed by the RCMP or a provincial police service. Part of maturing as a major municipality, IMO, involves taking charge of the provision of your own police services… If you can handle that responsibly.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The only reason the SPS was started was due to a Mayor that didn't like them. The RCMP is suffering from recruitment issues, but forming the SPS is not going to solves that problem as they be recruiting from the same if smaller pool. I would also caution people switching from RCMP to the SPS because of pension issues, anyone 2/3rds along in their career is likley to get screwed. All the promises to "protect" pensions will evaporate when there is a budget shortfall.

 

[Booter]

The only reason the SPS was started was due to a Mayor that didn't like them. The RCMP is suffering from recruitment issues, but forming the SPS is not going to solves that problem as they be recruiting from the same if smaller pool. I would also caution people switching from RCMP to the SPS because of pension issues, anyone 2/3rds along in their career is likley to get screwed. All the promises to "protect" pensions will evaporate when there is a budget shortfall.

You’re right. BC is just spreading its vegetables around the plate. There is structural issue to policing- contract or otherwise not being addressed. A financial issue- not being addressed. And a societal issue not being addressed.

The best we have is arguing which uniform the cops should be wearing when no matter what it’s the same amount of people. It’s just who will control the vacancies.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

My friend works there and some of the issues are burnout and most people don't last on the street there for long and 6 years GD is seen as a senior street cop. I know he is done and looking for a move to another municipality. Meanwhile Sleepy Hollow North Vancouver is keeping it's head down as they are quite content to keep working there.

 

[BrianWL]

My friend works there and some of the issues are burnout and most people don't last on the street there for long and 6 years GD is seen as a senior street cop. I know he is done and looking for a move to another municipality. Meanwhile Sleepy Hollow North Vancouver is keeping it's head down as they are quite content to keep working there.

nation wide problem. understaff patrol to staff up everything else.