Surrey Taxpayers Deserve Real Answers to Important Questions in Upcoming Surrey Council Budget Discussions
SURREY, BC, Nov. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - With the City of Surrey set to unveil its latest budget for public input later this month, the National Police Federation (NPF) is recommending that Surrey residents raise serious questions related to millions of dollars worth of unaccounted or undisclosed Surrey Police Service (SPS) transition costs.
These include:
- Considering the budget for the Surrey police transition has already tripled, property taxes have increased, and the SPS and City budgets lack transparency, will the City of Surrey release a line-by-line police budget for both the Surrey Police Service and the RCMP that outlines all policing costs?
- What is the cost allocation for the development of the SPS Human Resources Plan, due December 2021?
- How much will the proposed, multi-year deployment opportunities cost Surrey residents?
- The City has awarded a $1.21 million contract for the purchase of 14 SPS vehicles. If the SPS are being deployed alongside Surrey RCMP Members in Surrey RCMP vehicles, what is the depreciation cost as these 14 new vehicles sit unused, beyond political promotion value?
- How many civilian City staff have been assigned to SPS, to what budget are their salaries being charged, and what is their total hidden cost? For those assigned to the RCMP, what budget are their salaries being assigned to?
- With Surrey taxpayers now paying 100% of the SPS and RCMP costs, instead of the planned 25/75 split, how does the city plan to make up the cost difference in the overages of the City's policing costs?
- What is the difference in costs between the Justice Institute of BC and RCMP Depot for officer training?
- With the recent SPS press release boasting experienced officers will come from as far away as Alberta and Ontario, how much will the City of Surrey or SPS pay for relocation costs?
- Official language training for officers is covered by the federal government. Will the City of Surrey be providing SPS officers with language training, and at what cost?
Recently, City of Surrey staff were asked to provide how much the City's insurance costs will increase to cover the addition of indemnification of SPS officers, as well as the average expense for police service litigation claims and settlements in cities of a comparable size. Staff have not yet responded on these important questions.
"These are questions the NPF have been asking since this unpopular transition was announced, but Surrey continues to move forward without answers or any real plan," said Brian Sauvé, President, National Police Federation. "This is deeply troubling - millions of dollars are being spent without a full accounting of the real cost to taxpayers. Members of the public are being kept in the dark about the costs they're shouldering."
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 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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SOURCE National Police Federation
Media contact: Fabrice de Dongo, Manager, Media Relations, [email protected], (647) 274-7118
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