Surrey Police Service

The B.C. Supreme Court has quashed a bid by the City of Surrey to halt a transition to a municipal police force, with the judge ruling the province has a right to exert authority over municipalities.

It was, in British Columbia Solicitor General Mike Farnworth's own estimation, an "extraordinary" use of his powers.

Debi Johnstone told provincial court on Monday, October 31, 2022, that she recognized McCallum while her vehicle was stopped at a crosswalk on the morning of Sept. 4, 2021, just before she joined others collecting signatures for a petition aimed at seeking a referendum to keep the RCMP in Surrey.

A battle over police services in one of British Columbia's largest cities is looming with the election in Surrey of a new mayor promising to bring back the RCMP, who are currently being replaced with a municipal force.