The City of Surrey has been given the go-ahead to transition to its own municipal police force.
The provincial government announced its approval Thursday morning in a joint statement with the city.
A joint Surrey/B.C. committee, headed by Wally Oppal, will oversee the transition
The Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth appointed the former attorney general to chair a committee that will “ensure all key issues are addressed and all complex details are in place to facilitate an orderly transition.”
The city released its proposed transition report in June, with a proposed start date of April 1, 2021 for its force.
No timeline was given in Thursday’s statement for when an independent police force would take over policing from the RCMP in Surrey, but a statement says Oppal will work expeditiously to provide advice to the Director of Police Services.
With files from CBC
CHEK News
