The British Columbia government has directed the City of Surrey to move forward with an independent police service despite its mayor and council’s determination to stay with the RCMP.
The province said Wednesday that it made the decision to avoid a crisis in policing in Surrey that would have taken Mounties from other areas of the province.
Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said in a statement that he has carefully considered the city’s report on moving back to the RCMP, but Surrey has not demonstrated that doing so would be safe or would not affect other communities.
“People’s safety, in Surrey and across the province, is non-negotiable,” Farnworth said….