Langley’s top cop wants 15 new officers to meet rapidly-growing population’s demands

Vancouver is getting 25 new police officers next year, but Surrey won’t see any.

Now Langley is weighing into the policing fray, with its top cop calling for more boots on the ground to meet a growing population.

Supt. Murray Power is asking Langley Township Council to hire 15 new officers, at a cost of $2.4 million per year.

Power argues that the demands facing his 195 officers are reaching a “concerning level.”

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“There’s a lot of people coming, which is exciting, let’s just make sure it’s a smooth transition as we go forward.”

Power said the policing ratio in Langley is one officer to 925 residents. That’s compared to one officer for 670 residents in Surrey.

Power said the city needs to shift away from a rural mentality as the community grows and becomes more urban.

Langley Township has the fastest rate of growth of any Metro municipality, according to the latest census.