The Surrey police board has adopted new rules that prohibit the new police chief and other senior officials from making public comments about decisions made by city hall or the provincial government. The controversial move came during the board's first public meeting since the ousting of former chief Norm Lipinski.
Raucous Meeting and Board Walkout
The meeting was marked by a raucous crowd demanding answers, and the entire board walked out during the question-and-answer period. The new directive, defended by board chair Perm Jawanda, effectively restricts police leaders from speaking on matters involving local or provincial government decisions.
Union Condemns 'Gag Order'
The Surrey Police Union has strongly criticized the new governance rule. In a letter to union members, president Ryan Buhrig expressed serious concerns, calling it a gag order that restricts police leaders from speaking publicly on policing and public safety issues. Buhrig questioned how much former chief Lipinski would have been able to say if the directive had been in place earlier.
Lipinski had previously spoken out against the province's decision to force the Surrey Police Service to fully police Cloverdale before it was ready, leading to cuts in the gang unit. He also criticized the city for approving a police budget that was $47 million less than requested.
Background of Conflict
The tension between Lipinski and Mayor Brenda Locke has been ongoing since the policing transition from the RCMP began. Locke opposed the transition and took the province to court but lost. Lipinski was terminated without cause on June 1, a decision that led to the resignation of board chair Harley Chappell and another director, James Carwana, who was the sole vote against Lipinski's termination.
Buhrig expressed concern about the impact on recruiting, as the Surrey police are still hiring officers to complete the transition. He stated, "I am very concerned about some of the decisions that this board has made, and what that could mean for independence of police chiefs. I’ve never seen a directive this restrictive."
