SPS is paying a premium for officers and taxpayers will be paying the bill: Councillor Linda Annis

Surrey, B.C. (April 21, 2021): Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis believes Doug McCallum’s police department could end up being the most expensive in the province. Annis wants the board of the Surrey Police Service to provide a side-by-side comparison of police salaries paid by the RCMP, Vancouver Police Department, Surrey Police Service and other municipal police forces in British Columbia.

“It certainly looks like Surrey is paying a hefty premium to recruit officers into the SPS, and every one of those dollars will have to be paid by our Surrey taxpayers,” said Annis. “I’ve always warned that when it comes to the mayor’s police department, we should all get ready for sticker shock.”

Annis said after one year of service, an RCMP constable is paid $74,916. Meanwhile the salary of a first year SPS constable is $80,880, $6,000 more. In addition, the federal government subsidizes RCMP salaries in Surrey, which means the city saves 10 per cent.

A similar comparison of second year constables shows the RCMP’s salary at $80,786, with the Vancouver Police Department paying $82,181, and the SPS paying $86,272.

“When you compare what we will be paying for the SPS, the RCMP are an incredible bargain for our taxpayers,” added Annis. “Even if you take away the federal subsidy, the cost of the RCMP is still well below what we’re about to pay for SPS officers. Clearly, the mayor’s promise that his police department would cost just 10 per cent more doesn’t even come close to the truth or the real cost to our city.”

Annis said the mayor and the SPS board owe the taxpayers of Surrey a side-by-side comparison of salaries, and that comparison should include the RCMP, the VPD and other municipal forces in the province.

“With these salaries and the ever-increasing transition costs, it’s easy to conclude that Surrey could end up with the most expensive police department in the province, all because Doug McCallum made a promise he knew he could not keep when it comes to the real cost of his police department. A side-by-side comparison of salaries is a good place to start and something taxpayers deserve to see.”

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Media Contact

Councillor Linda Annis

604-345-0211