Surrey mayor should look at both sides before dropping the RCMP: Abbotsford mayor

Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun has some advice for Surrey mayor-elect Doug McCallum, as he makes plans to cancel the policing contact with the RCMP and move to a municipal force.

“I would just encourage him to look at both sides of the ledger,” Braun said.

In 1995, the Matsqui Police Department and the Abbotsford RCMP detachment merged to form what we know today as the Abbotsford Police Department.

Braun says there are lots of pluses to having a municipal force, including officers who are more connected to the community, and a local police board that provides more accountability.

“So we don’t get to tell the police chief how to do his work. He is solely responsible for that. But if we don’t like what he does over time, we can fire the police chief,” Braun said.

Braun says, however, there is one big drawback to a municipal police force.

“It’s about 10 per cent more costly for a municipal force than RCMP.”

Earlier this week, Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said he would need to see a proper transition plan from Surrey before allowing it to drop the RCMP.