Surrey mayor steps away from police board duties, but says it's unrelated to his court case

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum is stepping away from his duties as chair of the city's police board, although he's told the board it has nothing to do with his criminal case or political controversies.

The mayor will be absent from all meetings until the civic election this fall, according to a statement issued Wednesday by Surrey Police Board executive director Melissa Granum.

The statement describes the move as a "collective decision" by the board, and says the Police Act does not give McCallum the option to step down as chair or delegate his responsibilities.

McCallum is set to go on trial on Oct. 31 on a charge of public mischief over a police report he made accusing an advocate opposed to the city's police transition of running over his foot with her car in a Save-On-Foods parking lot. 

Granum told CBC that McCallum's decision regarding the police board is unrelated to the incident.

Instead, she said the mayor told the board during Wednesday's meeting that he had reviewed the recent report from the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, and noticed the concerns about the inherent conflict of a city's mayor chairing its police board.

"He determined that it was best for him that he be absent from police board meetings," Granum said.

McCallum's position on the police board and his decision to remain as mayor while facing a criminal charge have become highly contentious issues in the city.

On Monday, he recessed a city council meeting just seven minutes in after two councillors asked him to resign and a shouting crowd demanded he step down.

The situation has sparked calls for a municipal integrity commissioner that would have the power to investigate and remove elected officials for wrongdoing. Other provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, already have such a position.