Surrey Police Service officially takes over from RCMP after lengthy transition

The Surrey Police Service officially took over policing duties from the RCMP at midnight on Friday. This transition follows years of debate, initiated in 2018 by former mayor Doug McCallum, who proposed the municipal force. The RCMP will now play a supportive role while the Surrey Police Service expands its operations. Currently, the new force has hired 446 officers but aims to reach 785 for full coverage. The Surrey Police Service will initially focus on the Whalley and Newton neighborhoods, while the RCMP continues to serve the rest of the city. A formal change-of-command ceremony is planned for next year.