Surrey city council is taking a strong stand against a surge in extortion-related crimes by urging the federal government to declare a state of emergency.
Mayor Brenda Locke emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting the need for immediate action during a council meeting on Monday evening. The unanimous motion passed by the council aims to prompt Ottawa to address the organized extortion crisis that has been plaguing the city.
According to the Surrey Police Service (SPS), there have been 36 reported cases of extortion since the beginning of the year, impacting 21 victims and resulting in eight shootings. If this trend continues, the city could potentially face over 400 extortion incidents by 2026.
Locke stressed the gravity of the situation, expressing the city’s demand for decisive measures to be taken against the criminals responsible for spreading fear and chaos in the community. The motion proposed by the council includes measures such as publicly identifying and potentially deporting the perpetrators, as well as examining the role of immigration in addressing the issue.
In addition to calling on the federal government, Locke emphasized the importance of collaboration among all levels of government and law enforcement agencies, including the RCMP and federal RCMP, to tackle the crisis effectively.
While BC RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Brewer refrained from labeling the situation a crisis in a recent update on the BC Extortion Task Force, Premier David Eby and Mayor Locke have been vocal about the need for stronger actions to combat extortion. Locke even penned a letter to federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, advocating for the appointment of a national extortion commissioner to coordinate efforts nationwide.