Mayor Brenda Locke presses federal, provincial governments to take urgent action
Surrey, B.C. – The City of Surrey is urgently calling on both federal and provincial governments to deploy 150 additional police officers to combat a surge of extortions and shootings that have gripped the community.
Mayor Brenda Locke made the appeal following a meeting in Victoria with Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Nina Krieger, emphasizing the growing fear and frustration among residents and business owners.
“We are living it every single day – the fear, the intimidation, the violence,” said Mayor Locke. “Families and business owners have had their lives and livelihoods deeply affected. It is gut-wrenching to see our community impacted so profoundly. Our city cannot, and will not, endure it any longer.”
In letters dated October 29, Mayor Locke urged Minister Krieger and federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree to treat the escalating violence in Surrey as a top national law enforcement priority. She requested the deployment of officers from the RCMP and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), specifically those experienced in organized crime, financial crime, and firearms interdiction.
“The provincial government is responsible for adequate and effective policing in B.C.,” Locke added. “The scope and scale of this challenge require leaders in the federal and provincial governments to take action and help end the violence that no Canadian city should have to endure.”
Mayor Locke also called on Justice and Immigration ministries to strengthen Criminal Code provisions targeting organized crime, enabling law enforcement to dismantle sophisticated criminal networks more effectively.
In response to the escalating threats, the City of Surrey has already taken several steps to bolster community safety, including: Launching a $250,000 reward fund for information leading to convictions, Establishing a new Public Safety Department to coordinate city-wide safety initiatives, and Expanding staffing hours to provide 24/7 response to law enforcement requests for footage from over 600 traffic cameras, with upgraded resolution in key areas.
“We will not stop pushing until the extortion and shootings have stopped and every person in Surrey can feel safe again,” Mayor Locke said.
The City of Surrey continues to urge federal and provincial collaboration to restore peace and safety to one of British Columbia’s fastest-growing communities.