B.C. to bring in law forcing Surrey to go with municipal police force

VICTORIA — British Columbia Solicitor General Mike Farnworth has introduced legislation that will require the City of Surrey to provide policing with a municipal force.

The update in the Police Act also gives the province the authority to cancel the RCMP contract it has with the city.

Farnworth introduced the Police Amendment Act in the legislature, where he said the change would provide Surrey residents with “clarity and finality” on the future of the city’s police services.

Farnworth told the legislature the changes would require any municipality that has approval from the province to change its police force to “proceed to completion” once the transition starts.