Advertisement

After falling victim to crime, Surrey city councillor renews call for municipal police force

Click to play video: 'Surrey city councillor shares frightening break and enter experience'
Surrey city councillor shares frightening break and enter experience
Surrey City Councillor Doug Elford says he's been the victim of two recent thefts, one while he and his family were sleeping. As Aaron McArthur reports, he's still defending his decision to vote down giving the RCMP more money – Dec 4, 2019

Doug Elford, a Surrey city councillor who rose to prominence as an anti-crime advocate, says he and his family have fallen victim to crime twice in the past few weeks.

A few weeks ago, Elford says, he woke up at 4 a.m. after hearing a noise in his Newton home.

He went downstairs to find his door left open.

“All of a sudden I heard a bunch of footsteps and my front door opened,” Elford explained, “and by the time I got down the stairs they were gone, so I had a burglar in my house.”

Elford says nothing was stolen from his home, but days prior some Christmas decorations were stolen outside his house.

Story continues below advertisement

“It’s kind of rattled us a bit,” he said.

Click to play video: 'Surrey RCMP warn about spike in break-ins'
Surrey RCMP warn about spike in break-ins

Elford, who has long supported Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum‘s plan to replace the RCMP with a municipal police force, says the incidents have reinforced his belief that change is needed.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“We feel it in the neighbourhood, we see it everyday and we see the lack of presence,” he said.

“The community is crying out for a better model, a better way of doing things in Surrey.”

Meanwhile, Fleetwood-Port Kells MP Ken Hardie is calling for a referendum on the move to a civic police force.

Story continues below advertisement

“I don’t believe mayor and council have a mandate to do what they’re doing, especially because what’s emerging is the costs both in terms of the service itself and what we’ve having to forgo to make that a reality,” he said.

Hardie says he’s not opposed to a civic police force, but feels the public needs more information.

“I first and foremost believe the citizens should be given a say here and if a referendum isn’t going to happen, then the whole final decision should be left until the next municipal election.”

— With files from Aaron McArthur

Click to play video: 'Surrey’s “top cop” calls out mayor on city’s budget'
Surrey’s “top cop” calls out mayor on city’s budget

Sponsored content

AdChoices