As concerns over public safety continue to grow across British Columbia, Conservative MLA and Public Safety Critic Macklin McCall is raising urgent questions about crime, repeat offenders and community security.

Edited by Jagdeep Singh

Surrey residents are fearing for their safety and their lives as a violent crime crisis continues to rage. This crisis is worsened by a decade of mismanagement from the NDP government, which has abdicated its responsibility to keep people safe. 

 In the past two years, Surrey has recorded 96 reported extortions, 16 shootings, and 2 arsons, resulting in 51 victims. When crime is this bad, families live in fear. Extortion-related shootings and threats are forcing local businesses to reconsider their operations. Businesses are scaling back, investors are wary, and people are losing their jobs. The status quo is unacceptable. But judging by its reaction, the NDP government seems to be able to tolerate it. 

 If the provincial government wanted to get serious about making Surrey safe, there are straightforward measures that it can take. 

 First, Surrey needs to be equipped with more police officers. A visible police presence is one of the most effective deterrents to violent crime, but the NDP government has not added a single provincial RCMP officer since 2012. These provincial RCMP officers would be added to specialized provincial units like the Extortion Task Force, Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit among many other integrated units in the region which would make a huge difference to the police resources on the streets and to the response the public are seeing in their community.

 While the premier and his ministers love to make grand announcements about new funding, their rhetoric does not match reality. The current crisis is proof that Surrey does not have enough resources to adequately police the city, so the government must heed Surrey’s call for help and provide more funding and more officers. 

 Second, the NDP government needs to aggressively lobby the federal government to repeal Bill C-75 and remove the “principle of restraint” which ensures that judges must release criminals at the earliest opportunity and with the least restrictive conditions. This failed “catch and release” policy for repeat, violent offenders is disrespectful to victims of crime and our society. When criminals are continually let right back onto the streets after committing a crime, there is no deterrence and no justice. Violent offenders must be locked up, away from where they can threaten and cause harm to communities. Actually enforcing the law would go a long way to restoring public safety. 

 People are dying and a city is being terrorized. Major changes are necessary, but the NDP government has so far been unwilling to make them. It is time to give Surrey the policing resources it needs, and take a firm stand against violent crime.