The Surrey RCMP is conducting an internal review after a police supervisorsa国际传媒檚 memo slammed the South Community Response Unit for having sa国际传媒渄emonstrated their inability to perform the basic foundations of policing 101.sa国际传媒�
Staff Sgt. Jag Saransa国际传媒檚 March 2 email, obtained by Global News, reads that he implemented a sa国际传媒渞esetsa国际传媒� to the South CRU team. sa国际传媒淲e need to start from the basics, and make sure we demonstrate a sound knowledge of the basics of police work,sa国际传媒� it reads.
Meantime, the teamsa国际传媒檚 surveillance privileges have been suspended nor can the unit work undercover or drive unmarked cars.
Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, in an interview with Global, confirmed an internal review is underway. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 very concerning and itsa国际传媒檚 very disturbing and it undermines public confidence in policing,sa国际传媒� Farnworth said. sa国际传媒淭he public needs to have confidence that when police are out on patrol or doing their duty out in the community that they are obeying the laws, theysa国际传媒檙e following the procedures.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚t starts with an internal review and there may be other consequences that flow from that,sa国际传媒� Farnworth told Global.
What precipitated Saransa国际传媒檚 email concerning the unitsa国际传媒檚 performance, the staff sergeantsa国际传媒檚 email indicates, were sa国际传媒渢hroughout the year, there have been many incidents where there have been obvious breaches of law and policysa国际传媒� which resulted in sa国际传媒渕any charges being stayed, or not approvedsa国际传媒� as well as members not demonstrating the proper application of law and policy during traffic stops and investigations.sa国际传媒�
Moreover, his email states, sa国际传媒淲ith the number of collisions and officer safety concerns documented in the past year, I have expressed my concern with the teams to ensure we do things right: follow the law and policy and keep each other safe. Our recent incident resulted in two vehicles being written off, four minor injuries, and property damage that the RCMP are on the hook for.
sa国际传媒淚t may be the cost of doing business but, when you look at the big picture, was it worth putting each other at risk of serious bodily harm and risking public safety?sa国际传媒�
Const. Sarbjit Sangha, of the Surrey RCMPsa国际传媒檚 media section, told the Now-Leader on Thursday that a sa国际传媒減reliminarysa国际传媒� review has yet to establish if any police actions resulted in stays in proceedings or charges not being approved on account of breaches in policy or law.
sa国际传媒淭here is no information to date that indicates that this is anything more than inconsistencies in training or procedural awareness,sa国际传媒� Sangha added. sa国际传媒淧rior to any determination being made by the ongoing review, a unit supervisor shared internal correspondence with members following the incident. The messaging contained some broad statements, which were made out of frustration and concern.sa国际传媒�
Sangha noted that in late February members of the South Community Response Unit tried to stop a vehicle that was being driven sa国际传媒渆rraticallysa国际传媒� and it rammed a police vehicle as it left the scene. The suspect was arrested and faces charges of assaulting a peace officer and dangerous driving.
An internal review, she said, was initiated sa国际传媒渁s per standard practicesa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒渢his process is part of our daily and regular operations at the detachment.sa国际传媒�
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said she has spoken with Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards, officer in charge of the Surrey RCMP, on the matter but declined to comment while the investigation is underway.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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