The Surrey Police Board is looking to place limits on what the Chief Constable and senior executives comment to the media, the public, and other community stakeholders.
The proposal would prohibit criticism of decisions by any government officials, members of the Surrey Police Board, or directors.
“The Chief Constable and senior executives must not: publicly comment on Intergovernmental Affairs; publicly criticize decisions of the Surrey Police Board, individual directors, municipal or provincial government or officials; offer personal opinions framed as organizational positions; engage in speculative commentary about pending governance decisions; [or] undermine the role and authority of the board, provincial or municipal governments, or oversight bodies,” the proposal reads.
Any questions from media need to go through the Surrey Police Service’s (SPS) communications section, it says.
The plan is not sitting well with critics.
Former West Vancouver police chief Kash Heed, who is also a past Solicitor General and a current Richmond city councillor, says the proposal is troubling.
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“Censorship…that’s the most important aspect of this,” he said.
“The board is trying to censor what you expect a leader of a police organization to be out there in front of the media, to talk about the police organization, to talk about all aspects regarding it, to talk about whether there are issues with other government organizations, non-government organizations, such as the lack of support, or if they disagree with something.”
Heed says those behind the plan are looking to disempower the next police chief after the board fired Norm Lepinski in a controversial move earlier this month.
“Even when they talk about criticizing other intergovernmental agencies or governmental agencies, you have to wonder if we are having the political influence in place to such an extent that they don’t want the chief constable or the senior executive of the Surrey Police Service criticizing government.”
He says the public expects the chief of police to have the freedom to talk about important matters.
The proposal is scheduled to be discussed at the Surrey Police Board’s regular meeting on Wednesday afternoon.