Surrey, BC, Police Transition Deal From RCMP to Local Force Complete, Says Minister

A long-running and fractious negotiation process between the British Columbia government and the City of Surrey over which department will police the Metro Vancouver city has ended with an extended cash agreement. The deal sees the RCMP being replaced by the independent Surrey Police Service on Nov. 29 as part of a $250-million, 10-year agreement between the province and the City of Surrey, Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said on July 10. It ensures safety for Surrey residents and comes with a guarantee the local government will not levy a police tax to cover transition costs over the next decade, he said. “This is a significant change,” Mr. Farnworth said at a news conference. “It’s the largest police transition in the history of the province, and indeed the country. There have been lots of challenges along the way, but the bottom line is we now have an agreement.”...