Tension felt at Surrey Police Board's first meeting since SPS confirmed as city's police force

Surrey's police board held its first meeting — an occasionally tense one — since the provincial government chose a municipal force to enforce the law in the city.

Last week, the province ordered Surrey to continue its transition to the Surrey Police Service (SPS) despite the new council's plan to revert to the RCMP.

Mayor Brenda Locke, who campaigned for office on ending the transition, acknowledged the last few months had been a "very difficult time," but urged civility from the board as Surrey builds "the best and most accountable police department we can."

"To date, this board has made it a deliberate position that they build a wall and even offend the City of Surrey through their work," Locke said. "That posturing must stop today."

Locke's comments highlight the dual roles she balances in the police debate: as mayor, she was leading efforts to end the SPS transition, but under B.C.'s Police Act, she heads the board that oversees the force.

The board has occasionally pushed back against council's push to dismantle the force it oversees, claiming council has used inaccurate information to make its decisions.

'The minister's decision was unequivocal'

Locke also highlighted concerns about the costs of the transition, which she has raised repeatedly throughout the process. "The current fiscal platform is simply unsustainable," she said.

She also told her fellow board members that while disagreements between them are likely, she won't tolerate "disrespect" from board members toward herself or any member of council.

"Those debates are necessary, and they're healthy," she said. 

"Only by considering all courses of action for which any of us advocate strongly, even unsuccessfully, can we be sure that all options have been thoroughly explored."

Vice-chair Cheney Cloke made comments of her own highlighting the board's autonomy — and the finality of Farnworth selecting the municipal force for Surrey.

"We will continue to do our work of governing SPS impartially and professionally," Cloke said. "The minister's decision was unequivocal. We will follow his direction."

When another board member, Meena Brisard, said Cloke spoke "for all of us" with her comments, Locke objected to that framing and asked, pointedly, if board members had been having other meetings. No board member said that was the case.

Farnworth and Locke met Tuesday to discuss policing in the city. Locke said in a statement last week that she wants compensation for "the significant tax burden that will be placed on Surrey residents and businesses as a result of [Farnworth's] decision."