“Today the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General announced his decision that the transition to Surrey Police Service will be completed. We appreciate the provincial government’s reaffirmation that the continuation of Surrey Police Service is in the best of interest of public safety in Surrey and across British Columbia.

“There is no doubt that this is great news for our 400 employees and their families, but I also believe it is great news for Surrey residents who will now get to see the many benefits of a local police service, tailored to their community.

“This final decision by the provincial government marks the end of years of uncertainty for residents and all policing staff in Surrey. It is now time to move ahead. The more efficient and effective we can be in completing this transition in a timely fashion, the more fiscally responsible this project will be for Surrey.

“Change is not easy, and we recognize that the long-standing debate on the future of policing in Surrey has caused some division in the community, but it is important to respect the decision of the provincial government on this matter. It is my hope that we can now come together and focus on continuing to build a modern police service for this growing and diverse city.

“To the residents of Surrey, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your patience, thank you for welcoming Surrey Police Service officers into the community, and thank you for your support. We are honoured to be bringing a new era of policing to Surrey.”