Surrey city Coun. Jack Hundial says unless there’s public consultation included in the process to move from the RCMP to a municipal police force, he won’t support the initiative.
Taxpayers need to be engaged in the process, Hundial says, just like they are on other issues, and that “engagement” should have started months ago.
He says the public needs to be “fully informed” of what it means to transition to a city police force — especially when it comes to the cost.
“Without public engagement I would not be for that, no,” Hundial said. “Without engaging the public in the process I certainly would not be in support of moving towards a municipal police force.”
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He also questions if the transition can be made in two years as mayor Doug McCallum predicts.
“Looking at the challenges that are coming about, there are challenges certainly on the HR side.”
Hundial, a former Surrey RCMP staff sergeant, voted along with the majority of council last fall to replace the RCMP.
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, however, said voters have already had their say on the idea.
“Our platform was abundantly clear, and the public was overwhelmingly in support of what we said we would do on its behalf, if elected,” said McCallum in an emailed statement.
“On the night this new Council was sworn in, Council voted unanimously in favour of cancelling the contract with the RCMP and moving ahead with a municipal police department,” he added.
“For critics to now say that there is a lack of a mandate or public consultation for Surrey to have its own municipal police department shows little to no regard for our most basic democratic principle of respecting the will of the people.”
On Monday, Coun. Doug Elford said, “Right now, I don’t foresee any public consultation.”
That comment prompted Coun. Linda Annis to call for a public referendum on the issue, and Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman to call on Solicitor General Mike Farnworth not to support the change.
Farnworth must eventually approve the move, and Monday evening, his staff emailed a statement that said: “I think public consultation is always a good way to go.”
“When there is a decision that has a large impact, it seems like a natural thing to seek public input, I look forward to seeing Surrey’s plan when they are ready to submit it.”
Global News also reached out to Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, but was told he was in meetings all day Monday.