Surrey Police Union says 94% of members have 'no intention' of joining RCMP

As the new mayor of Surrey, B.C., looks to cancel the city's transition from the RCMP to a municipal police force, the Surrey Police Union says the vast majority of its members have "no intention" of joining the RCMP.

In a news release Thursday, the union said Brenda Locke's claims that officers and civilian staff would be cared for if the municipal force can be disbanded demonstrate a "disconnect" between the Surrey Police Service (SPS) and city hall.

After her swearing-in ceremony on Monday, Locke said she had already met with Surrey RCMP and was assured that SPS staff would have the opportunity to join them or other RCMP detachments.

"I have talked directly with the RCMP and they have a program to ladder the SPS officers," Locke said Monday. "We absolutely believe that every police officer is important and we will take care of them."

But union president Rick Stewart says 275 of 295 front-line officers have signed a pledge saying they "have no intention to apply to nor join any RCMP detachment."

Part of the pledge describes the RCMP work environment as "toxic" and decries "a lack of local decision-making, instability with regards to staying in Surrey and an absence of accountability."

"The attraction of working for a Surrey-based municipal police force remains as one of the main factors behind our successful recruitment thus far," said Stewart.

The transition to the Surrey Police Service started last year after the province gave former mayor Doug McCallum the go-ahead to form a municipal force.

Stewart says Locke's plan doesn't address the concerns of Surrey Police Service members.

But he said the union remains open to "collaboration, transparency and accountability in support of the best interests of Surrey residents."

Solicitor general says he needs to see a plan

B.C. Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said Thursday there is a lot of work involved in halting the replacement of RCMP. 

"I need to see a plan from the City of Surrey on how they intend to do that, as well as from the RCMP in terms of how they intend to re-staff," he said.

On Monday, Locke said City of Surrey staff have already started working on a report on how halting the transition would work.

She said the plan would be made public and, once finalized, submitted to B.C.'s solicitor general by the end of the month.

On Sunday, the Surrey Police Service said members have been subjected to online attacks, which Farnworth called "despicable."

"No workplace should become a toxic environment and everyone deserves to have a respectful workplace," he said.