Surrey, BC — On May 1, 1951, the City of Surrey, B.C. welcomed the RCMP as their new police service based on the result of a referendum vote. Tomorrow, 70 years later, the Surrey RCMP celebrate seven decades of service.
Surrey is blessed with a vibrant economic, social, and cultural fabric that makes it the fastest growing city in Canada. Over the last 70 years, police services, resourcing and recruitment have also adapted to reflect that growth and evolution. Today, Surrey detachment Members speak 51 different languages – many of which are South Asian – and have been active in the community for decades through programs to support youth and families.
“We’re celebrating this milestone anniversary because we’re very proud of the work that the Surrey RCMP have accomplished over the last 70 years,” said Brian Sauvé, President, National Police Federation. “The RCMP was actually brought in as a result of a favourable referendum held over 70 years ago, and we are working hard to see that services to the community continue in the years ahead.”
While Surrey’s RCMP detachment has fewer police officers per 100,000 than most big Canadian cities, the City continues to see a leading reduction in serious crime through innovative and community-focused strategies and initiatives.
More specifically, the City of Surrey boasts the lowest Crime Severity Index (CSI) score among other major Canadian cities. Statistics Canada figures show that the Surrey RCMP – the largest detachment in B.C. and Canada – achieved a 14% reduction of their CSI between 2014 to 2019, the largest crime reduction percentage in a major Canadian city. This was achieved against flat/reduced budgets and resources, as well as no new officers, despite a monthly population growth of 1,000 new residents.
By comparison, crime rates in Toronto over the same period increased by 20.2%, while Calgary’s rose by 52.2%, and Winnipeg’s rose by 61.5%.
“Now is not the time to be investing hard-earned taxpayer dollars on an unpopular and costly transition,” added Sauvé. “We hope that the City of Surrey and the Province will heed calls for a referendum and give Surrey residents a chance to have their say, just like they did when they voted to bring the RCMP to Surrey over 70 years ago.”
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. The NPF is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada; the second largest in North America and is the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.
The NPF is focused on improving public safety in Canada by negotiating the first-ever Collective Agreement for RCMP officers, and on increasing resources, equipment, training, and other supports for our Members who have been under-funded for far too long. Better resourcing and supports for the RCMP will enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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Media contact:
Fabrice de Dongo
Manager, Media Relations
fdedongo@npf-fpn.com
(647) 274-7118