Editor:
Re: City of Surrey hit with $46M RCMP bill, April 7
Thank you for publishing MP Ken Hardie’s observations regarding the pay raise given the RCMP and how it affects Surrey. Let me say first that regardless of who polices the city, they must be paid reasonably. Here is the current level of pay agreed to by the current council for SPS in 2022 compared to the RCMP.
Surrey Police: $111,709 per officer
Total budget for year: $94,170,687
Surrey RCMP: $106,576 per officer – less 10 per cent federal rebate or $ 10,657, leaving $95,919 per officer.
Total budget for year $80,859,717
Surrey currently has 843 RCMP officers, but the current council has shorted the funding for several years forming a service that will act as chauffers for the mayor. Regardless of which police serve Surrey, they will expect an income adjustment annually. In the case of the SPS, it will be considerably more.
To even think that 800 plus employees would go without a raise for five years speaks to the RCMP loyalty and dedication.
Can anyone name another group of employees that have patiently waited five years for an income adjustment like this?
Finally, I would ask all taxpayers in Surrey, if they handle their own household budget like this council has, would they hand out thousands of extra dollars for household security like this council and mayor have? Someone please find the brakes for this runaway train called Surrey.
Jim Simpson, Surrey