Civic election profile: Surrey

SURREY (NEWS1130) – Crime: It’s the issue all three leading candidates in the Surrey mayoral race say they’re best equipped to tackle, after the city set a murder record with 25 last year.

Linda Hepner with Surrey First has the endorsement of outgoing mayor Dianne Watts and says she’d bring in 100 new officers within two years.

“I think we’ve got a strong platform around mental health, around attacking the root causes of crime, around looking at specialized courts,” says Hepner.

Also vying for the top job in Surrey is a man who’s served in the role before: Doug McCallum. The Safe Surrey Coalition candidate wants 95 new officers, with an emphasis on more patrols.

“We’ve put together a platform that’s action-oriented,” he says. “It consists of putting an integrated mayors council together instead of the police committee.”

Then there’s City Councillor Barinder Rasode, who started the One Surrey party after leaving Surrey First. She wants to hire 200 unarmed community safety officers.

“I have a 360-degree plan that’s been written and endorsed by (Delta Police) chief Jim Cessford,” says Rasode. “I will be opening up an office of public safety at the city hall to take the politics out of policing.”

All three have critics; Rasode and Hepner have been on council as the city has endured its recent crime problems and McCallum’s opponents suggest Surrey had public safety issues during his reign from 1996 to 2005.

The economy and transportation are also key issues for these candidates, but the party that convinces voters its crime policy is best is the most likely to win control of city hall.