Surrey police union says the city won't pay new recruits. The city says they never should've been hired

The Surrey Police Union said the city is refusing to pay the newest 10 Surrey Police Service (SPS) recruits, by keeping them out of the city's payroll system.

That's forcing the union to cover their cheques, for now, at a cost of $18,000 so far.

"These are members that have signed on to put their lives on the line to serve," said Ryan Buhrig, a union spokesperson.

"I think it's extremely disrespectful that the mayor is putting them in this situation."

A spokesperson for the city, however, said the fledgling municipal force is "grossly" over budget.

The debate over which force should provide law enforcement in the city — RCMP or the Surrey Police Service — has dominated the terms of Surrey's two most recent mayors. (Ben Nelms/CBC, Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

"They should not be hiring additional officers until they have funds and it appears that they went ahead and hired 10 more officers," said Peter German, a lawyer and former RCMP deputy commissioner, who is advising the city on the transition.

"It's no different than your household budget. No one has to tell you if you're over budget. You should know that yourself."

Premier David Eby, at an unrelated event, said the latest development is "incredibly frustrating."

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has said she will do everything in her power to keep the RCMP as the police of jurisdiction in Surrey and defy the province's push to transition to the Surrey Police Service. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

"I understand the desire of the mayor to spend taxpayer money on advertising, on leaflets, on billboards, on lawyers to fight this. I disagree with it, but that's her business," Eby said.

"Police officers need to get paid, for Pete's sake … and the city should be paying them."

It's the latest development in the policing fight that has dominated the terms of the last two mayors.

Former mayor Doug McCallum started to switch out Mounties in favour of a municipal force. Current Mayor Brenda Locke has tried to undo the change only for the province to overrule her.

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Budget disputed

On Dec. 19, the city manager sent the SPS and its board a letter ordering the force to stop hiring "in light of the significant budget overage in the Surrey Police Board's 2023 budget, and given that council has not yet made a decision on the 2024 proposed budget."

Lawyer Peter German is an advisor with the City of Surrey and former high-ranking Mountie. (Joel Law/CBC)

The union says that letter directly impacted the force's 10 latest hires, who had quit their jobs in November to join the force. Buhrig says it would have been irresponsible to not bring those recruits on board by that point.

He also claims the force's hiring was conducted under a plan approved by the province.

German says the city ultimately should be in control of how law enforcement dollars are spent.

"Surrey Police Service was given a budget in 2023. They've exceeded that budget and they continue to spend money," he said. "That's a problem."

The Surrey Police Board said, in a statement, it is disputing the 2023 budget with the province's director of police services, claiming that at $48.8 million, it was far short of the $75 million the SPS spent to provide fulsome law enforcement, which the Police Act demands.

Claims about safety

Locke's council opponents were quick to denounce the latest policing controversy.

Surrey First Coun. Linda Annis called the non-payment "petty politics." Couns. Doug Elford and Mandeep Nagra with Safe Surrey — McCallum's party, and drivers of the SPS transition — said it compromises safety in the city.

German highlights that previously hired SPS officers are being paid, as are RCMP officers — which still police the city — and public safety is not at risk.

Locke is contesting the province's order to keep the transition to SPS on track in court. The province has filed a response, saying such a claim is moot because provincial legislation has confirmed the municipal force.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth asserted as much in a statement Thursday.

"It is the law of British Columbia that the City of Surrey will be policed by the SPS, and it is time to stop the obstructionism and get on with moving this transition forward," he said.