Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth has once again turned up the heat on Surrey council with a second letter as Mayor Brenda Locke乌鸦传媒檚 Surrey Connect majority intends to retain the RCMP as the police of jurisdiction rather than continue transitioning to the Surrey Police Service.

Locke has not replied to requests for comment.

In a follow-up to his 乌鸦传媒� in which he pressed council to make a final decision, which Locke has argued is the city乌鸦传媒檚 alone to make 乌鸦传媒� Farnworth乌鸦传媒檚 second letter sent June 13 expresses concern that his ministry乌鸦传媒檚 staff were told by city staff they will not be provided an advance copy of a corporate report before it comes before council for a critical vote on the future of policing in Surrey.

乌鸦传媒淚t is troubling from a public safety perspective that Ministry officials are prevented an opportunity to provide advice regarding the suitability of the proposed plan to meet the mandatory and non-negotiable conditions,乌鸦传媒� Farnworth乌鸦传媒檚 second letter to council reads. 乌鸦传媒淚t is also contrary to the good faith that Ministry Officials and City staff have been operating in to ensure that all relevant information is presented to Council to make an informed decision.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭his information sharing is critical to ensure that the Corporate Report drafted by City staff for Council乌鸦传媒檚 consideration adequately addresses the mandatory conditions, requirements, financial implications including, full costing, and other relevant implications for each police model to ensure safe and effective policing in Surrey,乌鸦传媒� Farnworth wrote. 乌鸦传媒淢inistry officials were informed that City staff have received direction to not provide a copy of the Corporate Report in advance of Council乌鸦传媒檚 further direction on this matter.乌鸦传媒�

Farnworth warned that this could result in council voting on a plan that 乌鸦传媒渕ay not乌鸦传媒� meet 乌鸦传媒渕andatory conditions and obligations placed on the City for either police model乌鸦传媒� and expressed concern that should Surrey council 乌鸦传媒渧ote on a plan that does not adequately address the mandatory and binding conditions on the transition, this already precarious situation could become further destabilized in an expedited timeline. This could create a policing crisis which puts into question safe and effective policing in the City of Surrey.乌鸦传媒�

Council is set to consider a 乌鸦传媒淪pecial Council Agenda乌鸦传媒� this afternoon (Thursday, June 15), during a meeting that is closed to the public.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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