November 29^th marks the one-year anniversary of Surrey Police Service (SPS) becoming the police of jurisdiction for the City of Surrey.

The past year has presented challenges, milestones, accomplishments and new opportunities for SPS as Surrey’s new police service. SPS currently has 1,099 staff, made up of 608 police officers and 491 civilian support staff. To date, SPS has responded to over 105,000 calls for service, with the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU) responding to another 65,000 calls. This combined public safety commitment will continue until the completion of the policing transition.

SPS initially began policing Whalley/City Centre (District 1) and Newton (District 3) last November. After additional staffing growth, SPS assumed full responsibility for South Surrey (District 5) in 2025, with plans to relieve the RCMP SPOSU in Cloverdale (District 4) in 2026, followed by Guildford (District 2). 

The continued growth of SPS is predicated on the hiring of experienced officers, recruit police officers, and vital civilian support positions. Significant hiring momentum was achieved in 2025 with 120 experienced officers joining SPS as well as 43 new recruit officers. 

Over the past year, SPS launched two new specialized policing units to deal with emerging public safety issues: the Impaired Driving Unit and the Extortion Investigations Team. Approximately 500 impaired drivers have been taken off the roads since the dedicated unit was established in the spring. The Impaired Driving Unit has also provided expertise through the delivery of 21 courses that assist frontline SPS officers with skills needed to detect drug and alcohol impairment. In June, extortion incidents became a highly concerning issue for Surrey and other Canadian communities. Through the efforts of SPS’s own investigative team and the work of the BC Extortion Task Force, investigations are advancing, and several individuals have been arrested and charged. (Read Chief Lipinski’s recent extortion update here.)

SPS also launched a number of programs including a volunteer program to support crime prevention efforts, and our first Student Police Academy and Youth Basketball Camps. Attendance at community events – large and small – and intentional engagement with community groups and organizations has also been a key priority for SPS as we work to understand the community’s evolving public safety needs.

New technologies have also been implemented, with the launch of our Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) drone program, implementation of a digital evidence management system, and pilot programs for body-worn cameras and a biometric monitoring system to monitor the health and safety of detainees. All these technology initiatives are aimed at providing the highest levels of service and safety for the residents of Surrey.

“Serving as the police of jurisdiction in Surrey carries significant responsibility, and I am extremely proud of how our civilian staff, police officers, and volunteers have met that responsibility over the past year. In the last 365 days, SPS has achieved major milestones and navigated a number of challenges, all while working closely with residents, community organizations, and local businesses,” said Chief Constable Norm Lipinski. “We are optimistic about the road ahead and remain committed to building Surrey’s local police service in partnership with the community.” 

“This has been a historic year for Surrey Police Service and the Surrey Police Board as we began providing a local, accountable, municipal policing model to the citizens of Surrey. On behalf of the Board, I wish to commend the police officers and civilian staff members of SPS who have demonstrated professionalism, dedication and community focus over the last year,” said Surrey Police Board Chair Harley Chappell. “I also want to acknowledge my colleagues on the Surrey Police Board, who have taken on the crucial responsibility of providing civilian oversight to Surrey’s new police service.”