Surrey police chief warns force needs more officers to take over Cloverdale

Surrey’s police chief is warning his force does not have enough officers, just weeks ahead of assuming responsibility for another part of the city.

Starting April 1, the Surrey Police Service is supposed to be taking over District 4, the Cloverdale area, from the RCMP.

However, Chief Norm Lipinski says 40 officers have been redeployed to the Extortion Task Force and the Surrey Police Service needs about 70 more officers to maintain public safety.

Lipinski says an alternate plan was developed to push that deadline back by four months, but the provincial government said no.

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“I am confident, based on the director of policing’s analysis of all the available information, the detailed plans that have been in the works for many months, that we are ready for the District 4 transition,” B.C.’s Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger said.

“And again, public safety is our utmost priority and it’s important to note that the RCMP remain fully engaged and will continue to be engaged as we complete the transition to District 4.”

In an internal memo, Lipinski said the Surrey Police Service was consulting the province, police board and legal counsel about the deadline.