Surrey, B.C. (May 12, 2026): Surrey First Councillor and candidate for mayor Linda Annis says gang and extortion shootings are taking their toll on Surrey families and businesses, and the city needs a mayor who actually supports the Surrey Police Service and is prepared to act.
“Public safety has to be our city’s biggest priority right now, because without a safe city nothing else matters,” explained Annis. “When Brenda Locke was elected in 2022, she did everything she could to stop the police transition and told the Surrey Police Service (SPS) to stop hiring. The mayor’s fight with the province, and treating the SPS like a political football, cost us time and money, and we’re seeing the results today.”
Annis said the SPS is stretched and needs more officers, and the mayor’s recent decision to cut $47 million from the police budget was the wrong move at the wrong time.
“We’re seeing a surge in gang and extortion shootings, and having the right resources is absolutely critical,” noted Annis who wants to add 300 more police officers, and promises to continue to grow the SPS as the city grows. “We want our city back, and that means more officers and having a training centre right here in Surrey that can speed up recruiting and training for Surrey and other municipal police departments as well. The Justice Institute is not able to meet the demand, and we do not have time to wait.”
Annis also wants the SPS to have real-time access to the city’s 600 traffic cameras, and 600 new police security cameras.
“We need a major police presence across our city that tells gangs, extortionists and drug dealers that we are serious, and they are not welcome in Surrey,” noted Annis. “But it has to start at the top, with a mayor who makes public safety job one. We need a mayor who actually supports our police, and who understands what these shootings are doing to Surrey families and businesses, as well as our city’s reputation.”
Annis said supporting the SPS should not have be a political fight.
“The only fight we should have is with the gangs and the criminals,” added Annis. “But if Brenda Locke isn’t prepared to make public safety Surrey’s priority today, I’ll make it my priority if I’m elected mayor this October.”
Annis said the recent shootings and killings will only stop when we make public safety our first priority, and give the city’s police service the people and resources it needs to do the job.
“Unlike our current mayor who always wants to blame the police and the province, I want to work with our police and the Province of B.C.,” added Annis. “I want to make changes that work, add resources, and show some real leadership from city hall. This is our city and our police service, and both need leadership from our mayor and council. Quite simply, making Surrey safe is definitely my job one.”