FOI reveals new Surrey Police Service Deputy Chief paid up to $320,000

SURREY, BC, March 10, 2021 /CNW/ - A new Freedom of Information request obtained by the National Police Federation (NPF) shows a newly hired Deputy Chief for the Surrey Police Service is making $235,000 a year in salary and up to $320,000 a year with benefits, much more than the Premier of British Columbia ($171,790¹), more than double the Mayor of Surrey ($147,018²), and significantly more than senior RCMP officers.

This new information is the latest in a string of exploding expenses related to the police transition, with cost estimates recently tripling to $64 million. Surrey taxpayers were informed in December that an average 11% tax increase is coming their way in part to cover the transition costs.

"Bringing in a new Deputy Chief making significantly more than the Premier of the province makes really exposes the truth about this expensive and unpopular plan," said Brian Sauvé, President, National Police Federation. "The costs for Surrey's new police service are piling up, and Surrey taxpayers are increasingly finding out why they're being left with an expensive bill."

Surrey's new Deputy Chief is poised to make well over a quarter of a million dollars, significantly more money than their counterpart in the RCMP who would be compensated at around $180,000. Current SPS Chief, Norm Lipinski, had a reported 2019 salary of $208,000 as Chief in Delta.

"This transition has always come down to Surrey paying more and getting less," added Sauvé. "Instead of focusing on public safety by investing in new officers, Surrey's approach has been to spend tens of millions of dollars to re-brand a new force and give the Mayor more control. It's not too late to turn this around, but people need to speak up and let the Province know that this costly, unpopular transition needs to be stopped before it is too late."

About the National Police Federation:

The National Police Federation (NPF) was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP front-line 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/ and https://www.surreyssayonpolicing.com/

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¹ https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-public-sector-salaries-database-10th-edition

² https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/corporate-reports/CR_2020-R117.pdf, pg 59

SOURCE National Police Federation

Media contact: Fabrice de Dongo, Manager, Media Relations, [email protected]

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