Surrey Taxpayers Will Pay Millions More for Fewer Surrey Police Service Officers than for Current Complement of RCMP Officers

SURREY, BC, Oct. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - The National Police Federation (NPF) has assessed evolving negotiated salaries and increases for both Surrey Police Service and RCMP officers, revealing that policing costs for Surrey taxpayers are millions of dollars lower each year for the RCMP, even following a long overdue pay raise based on a new RCMP Collective Agreement. (The May 2019 Surrey Policing Transition Report forecasted an anticipated 20% total RCMP wage increase¹ over four years which is closely aligned with the actual negotiated increase.)

Salary Cost to Surrey Taxpayers	2022
Surrey Police Service, per officer	$110,536
RCMP, per officer	$95,918^2
Annual cost differential between SPS over RCMP	+ $14,618/ officer
Total added cost for 805 SPS officers versus 843 RCMP	+$8,122,606

*All calculated salaries above are for First Class Constables both in the SPS and RCMP

The table above shows that, in 2022, for a comparable First-Class Constable position, it will cost Surrey taxpayers $8,122,606 more for the long-promised 805 SPS officers than it does for the existing total of 843 RCMP Members currently serving in Surrey. This chart shows a hypothetical situation staffed entirely by First Class Constables. In reality, both the Surrey Police Service and the Surrey RCMP will be and are staffed with a full mix of ranks, including more senior-ranking and higher-paid officers.

"Mayor McCallum has been positioning the Surrey Police Service as more cost effective when, in fact, the salaries for fewer officers than serve today will cost taxpayers millions of dollars more each year," said Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation. "This, combined with other undisclosed and hidden costs including civilian staff, highly specialized equipment and resources, is further evidence of a lack of planning and transparency for such an important proposed transition."

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 focusing 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/ 
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^1	Surrey Policing Transition Plan, City of Surrey, City of Vancouver, PwC, published June 3, 2019, p. 45
^2	Based on a salary of $106,576 with 10% paid by the federal government through a contracted subsidy

SOURCE National Police Federation

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

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