B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth says making up his mind about whether Surrey gets a civic police force “won’t be a snap decision,” however the city’s report on policing is calling for a new chief constable to be in place as early as next month.
The Surrey policing transition plan says the new chief constable should be hired between July and September of this year.
It says identifying the leader of the Surrey Police Department will be crucial in setting the tone of the organization and attracting quality recruits and managers.
The report says another key consideration during this initial phase will be ensuring adequate expertise is in place for creating communication strategies with the public.
“Carefully crafted public messaging around the new police force early during the transition phase will contribute to making the Surrey PD’s recruiting efforts successful and building positive relationships with the community,” the report reads.