Surrey mayor says she's accepted review forcing police transition

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke saysshe has accepted the province's mandatedtransition of city policing from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service, but remains disappointedby the outcome of a recent judicial review.

"We are moving forward with what the city needs to do to ensure that our residents are prioritized with the provincially legislated police transition," Locke said during a council meeting on Monday night.

The mayor's comments signal the end ofan almost two-year-long battle with the province over the issue.

But while she accepts the transition, Locke said she continues to believe it's not in the best interests of Surrey residents.

"It is clear that it will be more expensive for the city to transition to the SPS compared to maintaining the RCMP," she said.

During Monday's meeting, Locke laid out the city's priorities andnext steps,saying that "cost differentials are significant and they must be addressed."

CBC News contacted the mayorbut was told she is not commenting at this time.

In May, the city lost a judicial review after a B.C. Supreme Court judge upheld changes to the provincial Police Act that forced the City of Surrey to transition policing to a municipal force.

Justice Kevin Loo dismissed Locke's bid to halt the transition a key promise of her 2022 municipal election campaign after nearly two years of feuding with the B.C. government over the future of policing in the province's second largest and fastest growing municipality.

Ian MacDonaldwith the SPS saidhiringhasbeen happening behind the scenes for months, and the service now has a staffof 367 officers and 60 civilians.

"We hope that momentum is regained and that we will be able to expeditewhat is now this long overdue policing transition," MacDonald said.

In a social media post, the Safe Surrey Coalitionled by former mayor Doug McCallum who initiated the transition to the SPS during his last tenure saidLocke should resign "for wasting millions of dollars of taxpayer money."

"Brenda Locke wasted twoyears and $150 millionof taxpayer dollars opposing the transition. She should be ashamed of herself of wasting taxpayer money for her own ego," read the post.

On CBC Radio's The Early Edition, Surrey Coun.Linda Annissaid it'stime for Locke to put the past behind her.

"I think what she needs to do moving forward is be fully co-operative with this transition," Annis said.