Surrey Police Service Chief Constable Norm Lipinski expects to launch a public consultation campaign in late June or early July, with a survey, focus groups and town hall meetings.
“I think it’s so important to get that feedback on what kind of police service the community wants,” Lipinski told the police board on Tuesday. “What do they want the SPS to do and in what fashion, and what it the culture and what is important to them. So I look forward to that feedback.”
Community input, he said, “will occur.”
He said it has yet to be determined if the town hall meetings will be held virtually or in-person. Some topics the SPS will be looking to tackle are youth crime, mental health, homelessness and addiction, Indigenous policing, safety issues for the city’s aging population, and “over-policed” populations.
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“Once we complete the community consultation, then the SPS executive and the board will formulate a strategic plan and that will be late summer, early fall. That plan of course will be based on what the community wants the SPS to do over the next three years or two-to-four years. We’ll have a look at the timelines when we get together in the fall,” he said.
“I think this is a very important piece of work and I’m excited about it.”
Board member Elizabeth Model, chairwoman of the finance committee, reported that SPS spending for this fiscal year is expected to be $29.5 million and by the end of 2021 the SPS expects to carry forward approximately $14.2 million to 2022 and future years.
The Surrey Police Board’s next meeting is set for May 18.
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