While Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum’s initial prediction of the Surrey Police Service up and running by April 1, 2021 didn’t come to fruition, Chief Norm Lipinski maintains there will be some “boots on the ground” this year.
“There has been some speculation regarding the transition, including timing,” said Lipinski in a news release. “But the fact is, the transfer of policing responsibility will happen in an orderly, efficient and methodical manner. It is important that this be done right, not fast.”
The release notes a “working date” of April 1, 2021 was initially identified with “the full knowledge and recognition that once the Police Board and Chief Constable were in place, the target date would likely change as full planning began.”
In the police transition report, which was released in June of 2019, it stated the Surrey Police Service was projected to “go live” on April 1, 2021, but the implementation of the department would take place between 2019 and 2021.
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The release adds there are “numerous considerations to take into account including the transfer of the command structure during the transition, the deployment model for increasing Surrey Police resources while RCMP resources are systematically reduced and the post-transition command structure.”
That transition period also includes the recruitment of new officers, which the SPS has recently released a pay structure table for sworn officers.
Salaries range between $75,000 and $145,500.
For a first-year constable, they would make $75,488. After their first year, the constable salary is expected to increase to $80,880 and by their second year, they would be $86,272. After three years, constables are expected to make $97,056, and after four years, $107,840.
A 10-year first class constable is expected to make $113,232, while a 15-year first class constable is projected to make $118,624 and a 20-year first class constable would make $124,624.
Meantime, a sergeant would have a salary of $129,408 and a staff sergeant is projected to make $145,584.
