B.C. Supreme Court Justice Kevin Loo rules that court documents detailing alleged bullying and harassment of Surrey Police Service members by the RCMP should be made public.
Mr. Loo denies the request to seal the material, citing that allegations, whether valid or not, are commonly presented in court.
This decision comes during a legal challenge by the City of Surrey against the B.C. Public Safety minister’s directive to transition from the RCMP to the municipal Surrey Police Service.
The ministry’s lawyers argue that disclosing the contents of an affidavit filed by Surrey Police Union president Rick Stewart, detailing instances of bullying and harassment, could create public concern about the Surrey RCMP detachment.
According to Mr. Stewart’s affidavit, union members have experienced a toxic and hostile environment at the Surrey RCMP detachment, including incidents of bullying, discrimination, harassment, and intimidation.
The affidavit references attached exhibits containing specific complaints from Surrey Police Service members.
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The ministry’s legal team sought to keep this information confidential, but the exhibits were not accessible from the B.C. Supreme Court registry as of Tuesday.
Responding to the situation, Surrey RCMP spokesman Staff Sgt. Kris Clark assures that the RCMP is dedicated to maintaining a healthy, safe, and respectful workplace free from harassment and discrimination.
He clarifies that the Mounties are not involved in the court proceedings and do not possess a copy of the mentioned affidavit. Mr. Clark emphasizes the professionalism displayed by both Surrey RCMP and SPS officers working together at the detachment.
In a separate incident, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke files a complaint with B.C.’s Police Complaints Commissioner alleging that several Surrey Police Service officers abandoned their duties to meet with their chief and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, a claim disputed by the Surrey Police Board.
Mayor Locke asserts in a letter obtained by Global News that the meeting occurred last Wednesday around 3 p.m. and raises concerns about public safety implications.
The Surrey Police Board releases a statement confirming that officers did attend a meeting with their chief and the solicitor general at the training center. However, they stress that on-duty officers were not instructed to attend or withdrawn from service, ensuring that officers on shift remained available for calls with radios in hand.
The board defends the need for officers to meet with leadership or union representatives during significant transitions, rejecting any insinuation that officers would compromise public safety to attend a meeting.
Deputy Police Complaint Commissioner Andrea Spindler acknowledges reports of Locke’s complaint but states that the office has yet to receive a copy as of late Tuesday.
She explains that complaints involving service or policy matters concerning staffing or resources by municipal police departments are reviewed by the office and referred to police boards for further action.
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